Shadows of Light
by TormentingAllLemmings
Summary: A vigilante is recruited into the Justice League, where she discovers she'll find adventure and romance. But some things just don't come easy for some people, and with relatives who are villains, it's surprising she survives some days.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: A vigilante is brought into the Justice League. She may find adventure and love, but some things never come easy.

Warning: Some language.

Disclaimer: I own Lida, any OCs, and any plot ideas. Other than that, they're DC's.

My first Justice League: Unlimited fic, so I hope it's at least acceptable. I'm already well into the plot, and plan to continue privately, but want to see how it'll stand up against other fics here.

Please review if read. Reviews are appreciated.

* * *

"We have a problem," J'onn J'onzz told Flash grimly, his arms crossed soberly across his chest. He had called the hyperactive hero into the conference room in hopes the young man would realize how serious he was, but to no avail.

"Yeah? What? Marauding evils, lots of destruction, stuff like that?" Flash asked jokingly, waving his hand dismissively. "We've always got problems – we're superheroes."

"It's a vigilante," the Martian informed him. He sighed, wishing he could approach another member, but most were too busy with their own missions, and the rest weren't experienced enough in his opinion.

"So?" Flash demanded, shrugging. "We were all vigilantes at one time or another. Look at Batman, for cripes' sake!"

"We cannot allow renegades to run freely around the world, whether they work for good or evil," J'onn informed him coolly. "I believe this one could be recruited to the League if approached properly."

"So…we're gonna go, beat 'em up, and then ask 'em to join us?" Flash asked in surprise. "That's pretty direct for you, J'onn."

"We're going to go where Shade was last seen, and try to catch him there," the other hero explained patiently, sighing a little to himself. "There was a string of robberies in Teplice that he was sighted near a few days. The perpetrator was never caught, so hopefully Shade is still on the hunt."

"Wait, wait, where the hell is Teplice?" Flash demanded.

"In the Czech Republic. I believe Shade is a native," J'onn told him. "I don't have much information on him, unfortunately. He seems to be very adept at covering his tracks."

"With a name like 'Shade', I'm not surprised," the young man grumbled, getting to his feet. "Let me guess – we leave immediately."

* * *

"My ass is numb from sitting so long," Flash complained, rubbing the aforementioned part of his anatomy as they strode off the jet a few miles from the city in the Czech Republic. It was already dusk in the Eastern European nation, and the lights of the city could be seen in the distance.

Located in the plains of the of the Bilina river, it was separated from the Ore Mountains and the Czech Central Mountains, and would probably have been isolated altogether if not for its famous thermal springs, forming it into a spa city.

"Stop complaining and follow me," J'onn ordered, gliding down the gentle hill they had set the jet on, not bothering to see if Flash listened to him or not.

"Yeah, yeah, this better have some fun," he grumbled.

* * *

"I thought there would be another robbery soon," the vigilante remarked, appearing from the shadows and glaring at the two men who had just picked the lock of a souvenir shop.

"I thought you'd be speaking another language," Flash remarked from behind him, realizing he was speaking English to himself, in a vaguely Czech accent.

"What?" he demanded, whirling around. The black cape that draped to the ground swirled around him, hiding anything else from view as he disappeared.

"What the hell?" Flash wondered, and turned to J'onn. "Huh?"

"He apparently has the ability to manipulate shadows, or darkness," the Martian remarked calmly, standing further away. He merely watched as Shade reappeared, and thick swirls of what looked like black clouds shot from beneath him towards the criminals, encasing them in darkness.

Hearing their panicked cries, the vigilante smirked faintly and knocked them against the wall, silencing them for the time being. Carefully adjusting his cloak around him, and ensuring the hood concealed his face, he approached the two strangers.

"I'm assuming you're from the Justice League," he said coolly, observing them while remaining in a defensive stance.

"How'd you guess?" Flash asked, and he snorted.

"Who else is going to run around in something like _that_?" he asked, gesturing to their costumes. The young man grimaced.

"Good point," he admitted, and stepped back when J'onn moved forward to confront the vigilante.

"We were wondering what your intentions are," he stated, and the cloaked figure stared at them in disbelief.

"Are you kidding? I'm protecting this part of the world from scum you don't bother with," he retorted sharply. "None of your business."

"We can't have someone with powers running around loose."

"Like an animal?" Shade interrupted, shaking his head. "I'm not going to join forces with the bad guys or something like that, if that's what you're worried about."

"What do you think about joining the Justice League?" the Martian asked, using his telepathy easily on the stranger and making an instant decision concerning him.

"Nope," Shade replied, shrugging indifferently. "I'm not a team player, by any means. I'd rather be stuck in backwards countries like these helping then up in space like some freak. If that's all you wanted, I have some more work to do, so…"

"I would remain and listen to our offer, Lida," J'onn said calmly, and Shade froze in surprise. Flash, completely confused, looked between the two and frowned.

"I think I'm missing something here," he complained.

"I forgot you had telepathy. A mistake on my part," Shade admitted, and with a sigh tossed his head, letting the hood of the cloak slide away from his head.

"It's a _her_?" Flash demanded in shock, as indigo eyes stared calmly at them, framed by waves of thick auburn hair.

"Yes, it's a _her_," Lida retorted impatiently, crossing her arms defiantly. "It was easier to conceal my identity entirely. Actually, it's easy to conceal myself period," she added despite herself.

"I would appreciate it if you removed the cloak for the time being," J'onn told her calmly, earning a sharp look.

"Think I'm going to attack you? I don't need weapons." She shrugged, but swung the cloak from her shoulders and folded it onto the ground. Her figure was a slim hourglass, and was concealed in a black bodysuit with high gray boots and gloves, and a thin gray belt around her hips. A silver symbol for infinity was pinned above her left breast, normally holding the cloak together there.

"Thank you," the Martian told her, nodding in appreciation at her somewhat-backhanded compliance. "Now, what about our offer?"

"I don't want to join," she repeated, shaking her head and frowning a bit. "I'd rather remain nice and anonymous where I am, then let power go to my head."

"Like your uncle?" J'onn asked calmly, and Lida nodded in agreement.

"It's bad enough I share the name with him," she said in obvious distaste. Flash went to open his mouth, and she intercepted his question. "My uncle is Richard Swift – the Shade you've fought before. He got the idea for that cane of his from my powers years ago," she added with a grimace. "Yeck."

"We can use anyone who would aid us," the Martian began, and she shook her head.

"Why? There're plenty of members in the Justice League now. It shouldn't matter if a few of us decide to run loose and play our own little games," she argued without heat, shifting from one foot to the other. A cold wind began to blow, and she sighed. "It's going to snow – come back to my house and we'll talk more."

"We'll follow you," J'onn agreed, and strode after the young woman as she retrieved her cloak and swept it over her form once more. It was an obvious effort to keep from using the shadows as her means of transportation, which even Flash could tell, and they quickly kept up with her pace as she led them down the deserted streets.

* * *

"Not bad for a vigilante," Flash commented approvingly, as they entered the shelter the modest two-story home offered from the snow. It wasn't that big, and the inside was dark, illuminated only by a few lanterns.

"Thanks," Lida said wryly, pulling her hood back once more. The infinity symbol indeed pinned the cloak together above her left breast, and glowed in the faint light.

"But dark," J'onn added, looking around carefully.

"I don't care for much light," she told them, but shrugged as she headed to the wall. Flipping a few switches, the room became brighter, revealing all the imperfections. The furniture was worn and old, while the house itself could have done with some cleaning and patching.

"Is it safe to leave the jet?" Flash asked J'onn in concern, as Lida strode into another room without a word, leaving them alone.

"It's concealed," the Martian assured him. "We'll spend the night here, and return to the base in the early morning."

"There's a spare bed, and the couch if you don't want to share," Lida informed them, returning from another room and having changed into jeans, boots, and a turtleneck. "And there's food in the fridge if you're hungry," she added, gesturing through the open hole in the wall opposite them to indicate a kitchen.

"Really? Tha–"

"Thank you, but we're fine for now," J'onn said, smoothly interrupting Flash. She shrugged again in reply.

"Suit yourself. I'm going to bed – don't let the door hit you on the way out," she added pointedly, heading into a bedroom and loudly locking the door behind her.

"She's a piece of work," Flash commented, after a pause. "Is she really League material?"

"It isn't for us judge," J'onn told him, sitting down carefully on the couch. "It is for Lida to decide what is what best for her. We can't force her into anything."

"Then what the hell did we come here for? I've got stuff in Central City to take care of," Flash argued. "Can we just go now? Besides, I had a date with Beatriz, and she's gonna kill me if I don't explain."

"Recruiting is more important than a date," J'onn said calmly. "Get some sleep." That was obviously the final word from the Martian, and Flash grumbled to himself as he dug through the refrigerator, his stomach demanding food.

* * *

Lida woke just as the sky was turning a dusky shade of purple, and groaned when she remembered how she had been busted the night before by the Justice League.

"I knew it was only a matter of time," she mumbled, shoving her hair out of her face and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. The house was cold, but she was used to it. She had made her decision while she slept, and sighed in irritation.

"Always complicates," the young woman grumbled, changing into her Shade outfit and winding the cloak around her snugly. Deciding to try to surprise the quick one – cute if he wasn't annoying – Lida melted into the shadows, smirking.

* * *

"Yo!" Flash grinned, waving as she seemingly stepped from the wall next to him. Frowning a little, she only shrugged in response and looked for the Martian.

"Where's Manhunter?" she asked calmly, her hood hanging down her back and revealing her face.

"J'onn? He went to get the jet," he replied, yawning and zipping over to the couch with a wide grin. "Coming with us?"

"After being busted, I doubt I'll have any peace here," Lida sighed, crossing her arms patiently. Leaning against the wall, she looked around her house, but Flash didn't detect any sense of nostalgia or sadness in her gaze.

"So, what's your power, exactly?" he asked curiously, and she looked at him in surprise.

"What? Oh, shadow manipulation," she explained, wandering from wall to the window slowly, as if prowling. "I can use it to travel distances in seconds, and can make shadows viable to use."

"Huh?"

"I can make them solid for attack or defense," she clarified with surprising patience. It wasn't often anyone asked about her, especially her powers – the last being her uncle – so it was something different for a change for her. "Like this," she added with a grin, and Flash yelped as she lifted him bodily off the couch with a shadow of a couch, and set him down calmly before taking away the apparition, expecting him to fall on his behind.

"Nice try," he chuckled, and she whirled to see him directly behind her. He noticed how short she was – maybe five-three – and grinned. _"Short women are more fun to make mad."_

"I didn't even see you move," she admitted, and he nodded.

"I know. I'm Wally West. I'm the fastest man on earth – I'm the Flash," he introduced himself, offering his hand. She realized he was attempting some kind of attempt at civility, and grinned suddenly, shaking his hand firmly.

"Lida Swift – Shade," she added unnecessarily, mimicking his tone.

"I see you've made your decision," J'onn commented, striding through the door with some snow on his shoulders.

"Might as well," Lida told him. "At least try it out. If I don't like it, I'll get myself thrown out. Like that Huntress," she added suddenly with a mischievous grin. If J'onn was surprised she knew about that incident, he didn't show it.

"We'll see," he decided, before turning back to the door. "Do you have anything to bring? We need to leave."

"I travel light," the young woman said, striding out the door after J'onn. She locked the door securely behind Flash before following him to the jet.

"Gonna miss it here?" the Flash asked suddenly, glancing over his shoulder at the stubborn young woman, who seemed to refuse to show anything other calmness.

"A little," she admitted to his surprise, and then shrugged it off. "No matter, I'll come back to make sure wolves haven't gotten it," she joked as she strode up the ramp into the jet. "What fun."

* * *

"Wow." Lida's jaw hung in an awed gape as she stared out the window at the many stations in space. "I had no idea there was this many!" she exclaimed in shock, and Flash grinned.

"Yep. You shoulda seen it when it started – there was just one," Flash boasted, puffing out his chest until he realized she wasn't paying the least bit of attention to him.

"How many are there?" she asked.

"Members?" J'onn checked, and she nodded. "Well over fifty members," he told her. "More stations were necessary," he continued, as they docked in oh-three. "You'll be assigned to Flash while you learn the way we do things here," he said suddenly, surprising them both.

"What?" Lida and Wally said together, and he sped past her own objections.

"But I had things to do!" he argued. "Let one of the other members – Green Arrow –"

"Works with Back Canary."

"Booster Gold –"

"Is irresponsible."

"More than me?" Flash asked, and Lida suddenly burst out laughing at this protest.

"That's ridiculous," she suggested. "No one can be more irresponsible than the Flash, from what I've heard." Flash glared at her, torn between being mad about the insult and happy she seemed to try to back him up, but J'onn interrupted them both.

"It's already settled. We decided it before we set out to find you," he told Lida, and Flash groaned.

"_We_? Who's _we_?" he demanded, and J'onn suddenly smiled almost menacingly in Flash's direction.

"Shayera," he said, and Flash groaned.

"Oh no…"

"Hawkgirl?" Lida asked in surprise, and fell silent as they finished their docking procedures and J'onn got to his feet.

"Come along, we'll give you a tour," J'onn ordered, and she quickly rose to follow him. Glancing at Flash, she rolled her eyes.

"Stop being so dramatic," she suggested firmly, grabbing his elbow. "Come on."

* * *

"This is…huge," Lida managed, trying to find a word to describe how the single station appeared to her. "How in hell did you build it?"

"Trade secret," Flash joked, having zipped back and forth constantly while J'onn showed her around. "Founding members privilege," he added, and she grabbed his elbow before he disappeared again.

"You're making me nauseas, zipping around like that," she complained. Her eyes shone underneath her hood, which she had donned upon leaving the ship, feeling more comfortable hidden from the looks of curious members.

"Sorry," he apologized, and did his best to slow down to normal human speed. She let out a sigh of relief, and stopped behind J'onn as he entered a code into the door.

"This will be your room," he informed her, and Flash blinked.

"She's even sleeping next to me?" he asked, and Lida looked at J'onn in alarm.

"The room next to his," the Martian clarified, and she nodded in obvious relief. "I'll leave the rest to you, Flash. Be prepared to brief Lida on a mission when you go to Central City," he added sternly, before striding away and leaving the pair alone.

"What now?" Lida asked blankly, clearly intimidated at the thought of being in the station. "I should've never left," she mumbled, shaking her head. "I'm so dim."

"Hey, we'll have ourselves a good time," Flash protested quickly, a wide grin directed towards her. "Let's go get something to eat – the cafeteria's pretty good."

* * *

"Beatriz! How're you…doing…" Flash trailed off as the woman stalked off, and he rushed off to catch her, leaving the nervous and hooded Lida alone in the cafeteria. Mercifully, there wasn't many people there, but a blond man approached her.

"Hello, you must be new here. If I can introduce myself, I'm Booster Gold, Michael," the man said, offering his hand in a way that made Lida roll her eyes.

"_He's worse than Flash,"_ she thought, but gave him her hand reluctantly.

"Lida, Shade," she said quickly, looking around in irritation for her supposed escort. "I am new, and I'm supposed to be with Flash, so if you'll…"

"That flirt?" Booster asked in surprise, and shook his head sympathetically when she nodded. "That's too bad. You'll never keep his attention if you're all hooded up like that." He reached out to remove her hood, but froze when her shadow grabbed his wrist and squeezed. She could hear bones cracking, and several drops of sweat appeared on his brow.

"Don't touch it," she said calmly, releasing him when she felt the bones become dangerously close to breaking.

"Just a little touchy, aren't we?" he asked a bit sourly, rubbing his injured wrist and eyeing her. "You obviously don't know the rule about using powers on each other," he added pointedly, and blinked when she merely shrugged. "I thought rookies showed more respect to senior members."

"And I thought League members had more manners than to go touching other people's costumes without permission," she retorted coolly, crossing her arms. "Oh well, guess we're both disappointed."

"Hmph," Booster grumbled, and looked for Flash as well. "Damn flirting idiot…" he grumbled, seeing him with Beatriz, better known as Fire, counterpart to Ice. "There he is – good luck," he said, pointing out the red-costumed young man before striding off, followed by some kind of robot, Lida noticed.

"Idiot indeed," she sighed, heading Flash's way and almost running into a tall gray-skinned man with a red and purple costume. After apologizing quickly, she finally reached him, a bit disgruntled to see him obviously enjoying the company of the other woman.

"So, I said…"

"Excuse me? Did I miss something? You're supposed to be helping me," Lida interrupted calmly, her arms crossed over her breasts loosely.

"This is Lida, our newest recruit. J'onn and I got her from –"

"I am not a stray, thank you," she intercepted again, and turned to the woman, who obviously had no use for her. "My name is Lida Swift, pleased to meet you. Sorry I had to interrupt so abruptly."

"I'm sure it can be avoided in the future," Beatriz replied coolly, and Lida sighed to herself.

"_Just what I need, an enemy when I just start out here. Back to Teplice for me,"_ she thought, shaking her head at the futility of it all.

Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

Summary; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

I only had one review, but it was enthusiastic, so I decided to just go ahead and update! I'm having brainstorm after brainstorm for this one anyway, so I'm really enjoying working on it. Hope you like.

Please review if read. Reviews appreciated.

* * *

Lida didn't know how she survived the following week, since everything seemed to go wrong for her. She conceded it was partly her fault, but she didn't feel comfortable removing her hood, let alone her cloak, around strangers.

"_And what the hell do they care – half of them run around in masks and capes!"_ she yelled at herself while eating another meal in her room. She stared out the window, and had to admit something to herself.

Space was boring.

"_I mean, yeah, it's _big_, and awe-inspiring, but only for the first few days,"_ she thought. After that, there wasn't much else to it. Just a large, empty, _big_ space that didn't seem to have anything the hell in it. Well, not at that moment. She was well aware of some of the members' origins, and was going to be the last one to say there wasn't life on other planets.

Let alone other galaxies.

"I'm so – damn – bored!" she groaned, each word punctuated by the sound of her head smacking against the wall. It wasn't the best way to occupy her time, but at least the headache kept her busy.

"What are you doing?" a voice asked, and she turned sourly to see Flash leaning against the doorframe, a puzzled look on her face.

"Keeping myself busy, like you are with Beatriz," she replied snidely. Lida was far from jealous, but it irked her that she had thought Flash responsible enough to at least help her adjust to the station. So much for that – Booster Gold was more reliable than he was.

"Hey, not like that," he protested with a slight frown, as if embarrassed. She only shrugged, her cloak in a pile on the ground next to her.

"Whatever," she replied calmly. It was only then that Flash noticed how dark the room was, and looked around for a light switch. "I don't think so," she informed him, and he winced when a shadow created a shield around the switch. "I like it dark."

"I can't see!"

"That's the point." She said those words with a slight smirk, but it went unseen by Flash, obviously.

"What's your problem?" he asked in aggravation, almost stalking off and deciding against it.

Lida paused to consider the question. What _was_ her problem? _"Besides the fact I'm left alone in some huge damn space station, don't know anyone, and half of them are stuck-up little prissies so self-absorbed in their own selves they can't say 'hello'? I guess I'm bored."_

"I'm bored," she said, deciding on a simple explanation instead of the lengthy paragraph she had thought above. Flash stared at her as if she had grown two heads, and blinked after about a minute.

"Bored?" he repeated in disbelief, and she glared at him.

"Don't tell me you've never been bored on this damn thing," she snapped, and squeaked in surprise when grabbed her cloak, threw it to her, and snapped back to the door – in a matter of nanoseconds.

"I thought you'd never tell me!" he said in what sounded suspiciously like glee, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why? Am I going to get in trouble for something after you're done with me?" she asked suspiciously, fastening her cloak securely around her.

"Maybe," he winked, and shot off.

"Damn it," she grumbled, and melted into the floor in seconds.

* * *

"Whoa!" a man protested as she stepped out of his shadow near the hanger.

"Oh, sorry," she apologized. In her rush, she had forgotten to sense what kind of shadow she was stepping into – whether it belonged to a living or inanimate object – but shrugged it off. _"Not a big deal."_

"Where the hell – damn," Flash said approvingly, arriving. "You cheated!" he accused her after another second, and she grinned.

"Yeah," she admitted, trying for modesty and failing miserably. "Don't worry, you're still the fastest man on earth – I'm just the fastest shadow-jumper on earth," she consoled him, and he rolled his head.

"Yeah, yeah, my ego's soothed. Let's go."

"Are you allowed…?" she began, and he looked at her incredulously.

"You doubt my authority?"

"Yes."

Flash winced at the bluntness of her reply, and sighed. "You wound me."

"Tough. Where're we going?" she asked curiously, but he acted as if he was miffed.

"Oh, now you want to know?"

"Very funny."

"Central City."

"Business?"

"Hardly."

"Let's go, then," she demanded, and he paused.

"Can't you use your powers to jump there?" he asked curiously. She looked over her shoulder at him, suddenly appearing thoughtful.

"I don't know," she mused. "I've never tried…and I certainly don't feel like finding out it doesn't work," she added briskly with a small shrug. "Are you _coming_?" she hinted, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Hold your horses," he shot back, zipping up the ramp into jet. Merely smirking again, this time in relief she had something to do – even if it was with Flash.

* * *

"So this Central City," she mused, standing next to Flash. She found herself surrounded by cameras, people, and even a news reporter.

Lida was very, very unhappy.

And Flash was so busy pandering to the fans, he had no idea she was about to blow.

* * *

"_At least when I blow a nut, I do it properly,"_ she groused unhappily, crouched in the back corner of an alley, happy with the shadows and stray cats the appealed to her. She winced when she recalled what she had done, but knew there was nothing for it.

All hell had broken loose when Lida's shadow abruptly loomed over her, in grotesque contrast to her own small frame, frightening most of the people present. She had grabbed the news camera – mercifully, it hadn't been actually live – and smashed it into teeny, tiny little bits on the sidewalk before disappearing with a whirl of her cloak.

All-in-all, not the best introduction to America.

"Shit," she sighed, and glanced over as a cat mewed in her direction. "If you're responding to a supposed name, I feel sorry for you." Lida managed a small smile as the cat came closer, and she stroked it lightly on the head. "Poor kltty."

"There you are," Flash said, his triumphant tone a bit dimmed by sounding so out-of-breath. She felt slightly guilty, looking up at him under her hood, as he stood over her. "What the hell was that? You on your period or something?" he asked, sitting in the dirt next to her.

"What? No!" she replied indignantly. "I just…kinda freaked out," she admitted, as close to an apology as he was going to get.

"Well, you owe me now. I covered up big time for that, and paid for the damn camera too," he informed him calmly, crossing his arms behind his head. "I'd say…a date? No costumes or masks, just us being normal for once."

"What?" she repeated.

"Well?"

"Why?"

"Who?"

"Huh?"

"Well, we were doing dubble-you's, so I figured I'd try that out," he said a bit apologetically, causing Lida to burst out laughing.

"You're ridiculous, you know that? A fool," she told him through her giggles, shaking her head. Patting his elbow, she sighed. "But a funny fool. And a good friend, if you hadn't just abandoned me at the Watch Tower for Beatriz," she added sharply.

"Jealous?" he grinned, trying for a flirtatious hopeful, but she only rolled her eyes at the provocation.

"Hardly," she remarked dryly. "What makes you so crazy about her, anyway?"

"Huh? Nothing, really," he said, so carelessly it surprised her.

"Nothing?"

"Not – a – thing," he confirmed, enunciating each syllable with exaggerated care. "I guess it's just she's there, and flirts back. It gets boring there."

"What a playboy," she muttered, shaking her head again. "So you flirt with anything that moves and responds?" she checked, and he shrugged.

"Dunno."

"Oh my god," Lida groaned, resting her head on her knees, which she had brought up to her chest. "Unnnn-believable."

"That I'm such a chick magnet?" Flash asked, reverting back to his comic doofus-ness as quick as he was able to move.

"No, that you're…well…I guess yeah," she admitted. Flash grinned, his ego swelling at his apparent triumph, but it was dashed when she spoke again.

"I mean, why do women put up with you?"

* * *

"We have a problem," J'onn informed them grimly when they returned, and Flash surprisingly stepped in front of Lida repentantly.

"It was my fault, honest, the camera's all paid for, and –"

"What are you talking about?" the Martian asked in honest confusion, and then narrowed his eyes when he saw Flash's guilty face. "We'll discuss whatever that is later," he promised.

"Why later?" Lida dared to ask.

"There's some trouble downtown…here," J'onn said, gesturing to a monitor as he led them to what Lida later learned was called the "watching room" – where someone basically sat and watched for disturbances.

"That's Fawcett City – isn't Captain Marvel there?" Flash murmured, squinting to see better.

"He's on another mission, but stop wondering – _this_ is what you need to pay attention to," J'onn instructed them, pointing to a spot on the screen.

"Oh, fuck me," Lida groaned, and then clapped her hand over her mouth when she realized what she had said. "Sorry," she apologized through her hands, as the two men stared at her in surprise.

"Understandable," J'onn replied. Lida's uncle, Shade, was onscreen, as well as Volcana and Captain Boomerang.

"What the hell are they up to?" Flash demanded.

"At the moment? It appears causing wanton destruction, although who knows what their true goal is," the Martian replied, with a small shrug. "I want you two to go and stop them. I've already told Green Arrow and Black Canary to go with you."

"All right," Flash said with a grin, and turned to Lida. "Ready for your first mission?"

"More than ready," she agreed. "Guess our date's put on hold."

* * *

"Great…old creepy warehouses are so overdone lately," Flash grumbled, as they picked their way through rubble to reach the building where the three villains had hid out.

"Is it usually this cliché?" Shade asked curiously, her eyes gleaming from underneath her hood. She flexed her hands, hidden by the folds of her cloak, nervously and stiffly. She had fought with petty criminals in her hometown, but never villains with actual powers – and never her uncle.

"Not really, but with lackeys like these? Sure, I guess," Green Arrow replied with a shrug, and was poked by Black Canary.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be inside already," she demanded. With a mutter, he raced around the back of the building, presumably to another door. The blond woman head the other direction, creating a triangle, leaving Flash and Shade alone.

"You'll do fine," Flash assured her, surprising her when he rested his hand on her shoulder briefly before disappearing into the building.

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" she wondered, before melting into the shadows and sighing.

* * *

"Why are we doing this again, Shade?" Volcana demanded, crossing her arms stubbornly. "I thought we didn't want the Justice League involved."

"We _do_," he said in irritation. "I've learned of a new recruit that will most likely come. Besides my own interest in her, we have the opportunity to regain some of our lost wealth inside this treasure trove!" He spread his arms wide, as if to indicate the supposed wealth, and the other two looked at each other skeptically.

"What wealth?" Boomerang Man asked. "There's only empty crates here."

"Exactly," the man replied with a leer. "We use these crates – already harmlessly labeled by an undermined company – to export the steel we have to third-world country leaders to make weapons. We can cash in not only on the money, but on the profits that will roll in once war erupts between them!"

"I love monologues, don't you?" Green Arrow asked his companion, arrows aimed towards the villains. "Now that we know what you're up to, we don't need to interrogate you."

"Just kick your asses," Black Canary added with a grin, leaping down from a crate high above and landing in front of Boomerang Man.

"You're outnumbered, losers. Just give up and maybe we'll go easy on you," Flash told them, zooming in circles around them and making the three visibly dizzy.

"Three to three doesn't seem like uneven pairing to me," Volcana sneered, and gasped when another young woman seemed to peel away from another wall.

"Four to three does," she grinned. In seconds, her hands were outstretched and ropes of darkness shot towards the villains, marking the start of the battle.

"Damn girl, you never do learn, do you?" the elder Shade growled, his cane pointed his niece's way.

"Thankfully, not from you," she replied calmly, and laughed when his own power shot her way. "Do you really think that'll work?" she asked in disbelief, absorbing the attack with an adeptness that made the man uneasy.

"I thought I was hotheaded," Flash remarked, dodging a flaming streak sent his way by Volcana, who hovered in the air to his side. His speed fanned it, however, and several crates caught fire next to him.

"Finish it up! I don't feel like being fried!" Canary shouted to the others, seeing how quickly the flames would spread in the old warehouse, wood and hot steel everywhere.

Boomerang Man believed he saw an opportunity and headed Black Canary's way, several weapons already ready to be thrown her way. His surprise when she flipped forward and landed a foot in his jaw was considerable, but not enough to take him down.

"Canary!" Green Arrow yelled as she was hit in the gut by a boomerang, and failed to take heed of Flash's own shout of warning as Volcana trapped in briefly in a ring of fire and shot towards the Arrow.

Shade heard the commotion and turned, to see Volcana ready to roast Green Arrow, who was trying to get Boomerang Man off of Canary. Ignoring her uncle, she shot to the ground into the shadows, into her own private world alien from anything else she knew.

* * *

The plane was narrow and not that tall to her, in shades of purples, blacks, and blues that were inherited from the shadows of the real world. There were puddles of darkness everywhere around her, and her ability to distinguish which shadow came from what was temporarily disturbed when the plane rocked, throwing her to the ground.

"Damn it!" she swore, using her own control over the plane to stabilize the world, and searched frantically for the shadow she was seeking. Flashes of the scenes they were connected to shone in each shadow, but she had no time for her usual musings and wanderings. Breaking out into a run, Lida forced a last sprint when she found what she was looking for, and jumped up into it.

* * *

"Get out of the way!" Flash yelled, seeing Volcana ready to spew fire at both Arrow and Canary; the masked man was trying to dig Canary out from underneath a pile of rubble that had collapsed from another of Boomerang's attacks, and was too busy to pay any heed to the warning.

Flash sprinted forward, risking the flames to save his friend, but a familiar rope of darkness shot past him – and wrapped around him, and he realized too late it came from the villain Shade, who smirked pleasantly. Flash averted his gaze to avoid seeing the fate, but snapped his gaze back when he heard a yelp that was most definitely from Arrow.

To all of their shock, Shade had appeared from the floor out of Arrow's shadow, her back to Volcana, and she shot up a dark shield around her and the other two to keep the flames from them.

"Get out of the way!" Canary hissed, repeating Flash's warning to the young woman as Arrow dragged her from rubble and out of harm's way. Shade nodded and prepared to sink away again into safety, feeling the heat get too much for her comfort.

Unfortunately, Volcana powered her flames up for one last burst, and the flames shot right through Shade's sphere, melting the shadows away and ripping a scream from her as she received the full blast on her back.

Green Arrow took the opportunity to shoot Volcana from the sky and knock her out onto the ground, while Canary incapacitated Boomerang Man with her cry. Flash used his opponent's distraction and wiggled free from the binds, zooming around to knock the man out before rushing to Shade's side. The young woman was on the ground, her back covered in second and third-degree burns.

"Get her to the hospital – we'll take of this," Canary ordered, and saw Flash hesitate, unsure where to touch her. "Sling her over your shoulder, it'll keep contact from the burns. Hurry," she urged, while Arrow dragged the elder Shade where the other two villains were unconscious with a grim satisfaction.

Not needing another word, Flash hauled Shade to his shoulder and shot away.

Please review.


	3. Chapter 3

Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

Here we are with the third chapter. I'm glad people seem to like it - at least, enough that I'm gonna update. Hope you enjoy this. These chapters are a lot longer than usual; I'm trying to stretch them to see if people prefer longer or shorter.

Reviews appreciated.

* * *

Lida slowly became aware of a searing pain throughout her body as she returned to consciousness, and had no idea what was going on around her as a nurse looked at her in concern.

"Oh, you're waking up. That's good," she murmured, adjusting something on a chart and quickly leaving the room. The young woman was left alone briefly before another person strode into the room wearing a doctor's coat, followed by someone she didn't recognize.

"Hmm…we'll have to increase the amount until we can lower the temperature," the man said, almost to himself and making marks on his own information in his hand. "How are you feeling?" he asked her solicitously, peering down at her. Wrinkles beset his eyes, hidden behind thick glasses, and his white hair was neatly clipped back.

"…hurts," Lida managed, through a haze of morphine and other drugs that were unrecognizable to her in her numbed condition. She saw someone behind the doctor, his face worried, and wondered vaguely who he was.

"Mm-hmm," the doctor murmured, glancing down at his papers before looking back at her. "Miss Swift, you received serious burn injuries in an attack. You're in the intensive care center in the burn unit at Fawcett City Hospital. Do you understand me?"

"Mm-hmm…" she replied, growing drowsy as another wave of pain seemed to fade into oblivion, and the doctor frowned slightly. He turned to the man, and the rest of his words were lost as she gratefully sank into the darkness she loved.

* * *

"She's not doing very well at the moment," Dr. Nauman informed an undisguised Wally West, who narrowed his eyes. "The morphine is keeping the pain at bay, and she's strong, but I won't be able to tell until the night passes. She's in shock, and that often kills more people than the burns themselves."

"So, you can't do anything?" Wally demanded, green eyes narrowed even more dangerously.

"I didn't say that," Nauman argued. "We're keeping her comfortable, and the chances she'll live are strong. What I'm saying is that if she goes into shock before twenty-four hours pass, we could lose her when her systems shut down. It's imperative she remains calm, and preferably asleep as well, to reduce the risk."

"I understand," the young man said after a long pause, and nodded. "I'll keep watch, don't worry. Thanks, doc," he added, as the man went to leave. The doctor only nodded at the thanks before returning to his other patients.

Running a hand distractedly through his red hair, Wally dragged a chair over the hospital bed and sank into it with a long sigh. "Stupid hero type," he grumbled.

* * *

"How's she doing?" Green Arrow asked, arriving with Black Canary later the next afternoon. Wally looked up in surprise when they walked through the door, and shrugged.

"Okay, according to the doc. She's woken up a few times, and he said she'll make it," he told them, his lack of sleep obvious in his slouched posture.

"I can't believe she did that," Canary added, peering at the young woman with sharp eyes. "I suppose she wanted to prove she was part of the team."

"I think she did it because she thought she was," Wally replied quickly, crossing his arms a bit defensively. The partners looked at him, a bit surprised, and then Arrow grinned.

"And she is, trust me. We'll be glad to go on any missions with you two," he assured the young man with a nod. The two members had arrived in their uniforms, creating quite a stir, and he didn't want to stay too much longer. "We should be going now, but let us know when she's conscious for a while longer," the man ordered lightly, striding towards the door.

"She'll be fine. She's one tough bird," Canary told Wally quietly, her hand resting on his shoulder for a second before she followed her partner from the room.

"_Coming from that woman, that was a compliment,"_ Wally thought to himself, a little more relaxed after his friends' visit, and shook his head. Lida had remained still, and he grimaced at what he hadn't told the visitors. She would live, but would be badly scarred for the rest of her life from the attack.

He wasn't sure how the proud young woman would take the news, and he sighed.

* * *

"Goddamn doctors, keeping me drugged for so long," Lida grumbled, brushing her hair back with her fingers and shaking her head. Another week had passed before she had returned to a shadow of her former self, and Wally was more than happy to help her back to the League.

"It was for your own good, Miss Swift," Nauman informed her, obviously disgruntled at having such an ungrateful patient. "You would have gone into shock."

"And telling me I'm scarred for life is less shocking?" she asked dryly, and rolled her eyes heavenward, a slight grin crossing her face. Wally had been relieved when she had merely stared at him in shock for a moment, and then laughed.

"_At least it wasn't my face. But my back? Who cares?"_ she had said, and he had been the one to almost go into shock.

"Whatever. We should get going, I've got a jet ready," Wally told her, interrupting the spat between the two. Nauman glanced at him, caught between annoyance and relief, and settled for shaking his head.

"All right. The worst has healed, but be careful of the skin for a few more weeks, or else it may be even worse," he added, stubbornly giving her one last piece of advice.

"Okay, okay, I got it," Lida assured him, a loose T-shirt hanging to her thighs, so it wouldn't irritate her back, and low-rise jeans and sneakers completing her look of an almost-normal person. Wally was still in civilian clothes, something she had had to get used to.

* * *

"_Who're you?" she asked in confusion, seeing the same stranger from her earlier haze sitting next to her bed. _

"_It's me, Wally," he told her with a grin, the same cocky smirk she recognized even without Flash's mask._

"_Flash?" Lida checked, and he nodded. "What're you doing here? And without your costume…" She trailed off, trying to remember what had happened. It came back to her shortly, and she shook her head. "Did we get them?"_

"_Yep, they're all in prison – again," Wally assured her, and peered at her. "You feeling all right?"_

"_Sore, but not all doped up like I've been," she complained, moving to rub her head and wincing. "Actually, where're the drugs?"_

"Arrow and Canary stopped in to see you a few days ago," Wally told her, as they flew up past the atmosphere, heading towards the oh-three station.

"Really? They're okay, right?" she asked hastily, and he grinned at her.

"Perfectly fine, except for a few bumps and bruises. They would've been worse if you hadn't had pulled that stunt," he added, a bit shortly, and she looked at him in surprise.

"Stunt?" Lida repeated slowly. "I did what I thought I had to do. And everyone's fine, so it's fine," she told him, crossing her arms a bit testily. Wally resisted the urge to snap back, and sighed.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I – we were just really worried, that's all," he told her, covering his mistake with inhuman speed, as usual. "It's always stressful when a member gets laid out for a while."

"I'll do my best not to jump in front of any molten-hot spouts of fire," she agreed with a grin, stifling a laugh. As they approached the base, she unbuckled and headed toward the back.

"What're you doing?" Wally demanded, but was ignored as usual.

* * *

"You didn't have to change," he informed her, having found out what she was up to after they landed. She had changed back into her uniform, the hood pulled up over her face as if nothing had changed.

"Eh." She shrugged his direction, slightly nervous about returning to what now seemed to be her home. To her amazement, as they passed members in the halls, she was greeted along with Flash with waves and grins.

"See? I told you, you're a member," he informed her teasingly, gingerly slinging an arm across her shoulders. "You proved yourself, even if you do insist on hiding your face. Which you really shouldn't," he added, and pulled the hood down her back.

"You bastard," she hissed sharply, and brought her foot down on his instep forcefully. He whimpered in pain, not having expected that reaction, and pressed his lips together to keep from saying anything.

"That was mean," he managed after a minute, and she only smiled sweetly at him. Lida was secretly surprised when there was no apparent reaction from Flash, or from passers-by at seeing her hood pulled away. She had been afraid of walking around unmasked, since the majority of the heroes seemed to hide their faces, but realized she had been stupid about the entire thing.

As they stopped in front of one of the observatory windows, Lida paused to look outside, and then glanced at Flash.

"How come you didn't put on your costume?" she asked curiously. "I've never really seen anyone here wander around undisguised."

Wally glanced at her, and she thought he was actually going to say something relevant, and blinked when he grinned. "You still owe me a date," he reminded her, leaning against the window with his arms crossed.

"What?"

"You heard me," he said, grinning at her in that doofus manner that she knew threw people off guard around him.

"I guess I do," Lida replied calmly, staring right back at him, accepting the challenge he seemed to offer her.

* * *

"Well, ain't we all fancied up," Vigilante commented, as she passed him in the halls the next evening. She flushed, but nodded. "And who's the lucky fella?" he asked, having met Shade before her mission – the two had hit off an easy friendship, to her relief.

"Flash. It's sorta paying a debt," she admitted with a grin. "I owe him, and he said this."

"Well, if he had to putcha in debt for a date, I think the rest of us are gonna miserable lonely fellas," the hero lamented teasingly, before cracking a grin at her – she could tell by the way the corners of his eyes crinkled slightly.

"I'm easy to put into debt." Lida sighed dramatically, and then laughed shortly. "Sorry, Vig, but I gotta meet him in the hanger. God help me if I'm late."

"You go and have yerself a good time. If he does anything to offend a lady like yerself, you just let me know, awright?" Vigilante warned her, half-seriously, and was met with another laugh as she strode down the hall. He was male enough to appreciate the figure Lida cut with her hair twisted up, hair fringing her wide eyes – but the figure-hugging dress, in a sunset-purple shade, revealed more of her cleavage than he would have expected, and although it reached her knees, the slit up to her waist on one side left little to the imagination.

"_She's a man-killer when she goes fer it, that's fer sure,"_ he thought, hearing her silver heeled sandals clicking off in the distance.

* * *

"_Whoa_!" Wally whistled appreciatively as she approached him, and was met with a dirty look, although she was unable to resist flicking her hair a bit.

"Too much?" she asked with a sly grin. "You never said how formal it was, after all."

"Lemme go change," he apologized, and shot away. He returned seconds later wearing black suit pants, a matching jacket, and a shirt that matched his costume's red, several top buttons unbuttoned. "Now that's better," he said, and she rolled her eyes.

"You look very nice," Lida admitted, suddenly self-conscious of the dress she had chosen. She had thought if Flash was going to trap her into a date, she'd make him see what he could've had if he was serious about her, but suddenly she didn't think it was such a good idea anymore.

"So, did you have any kind of food in mind?" he asked her, taking her elbow and leading her to a jet, with a surprisingly gentlemanly manner.

"Hmm…pizza?" she suggested with a small smile, and he gave her an exaggerated bow before strapping himself in. She quickly followed suit, and blinked when he flashed her his typical smirk.

"Pizza it is."

* * *

"Isn't this place a little expensive?" Lida asked quietly. She knew it was tactless to ask about prices, but the Italian restaurant was fancier than she had anticipated, and she wasn't sure if it was in her price-range.

And when she said Italian restaurant, she meant the location. Wally had flown to Italy itself, and she found herself in a small but select restaurant overlooking the coast.

"It's on me," he said, shrugging dismissively. "Besides, the owner owes me a favor, so it's not a big deal." He paused, seeing her shake her head, and blinked. "What?"

"It seems everyone owes you," she remarked. "What'd you do to trap this poor man into your debt?" she added, her smile softening her mocking tone.

"He was visiting the states when we had another run-of-the-mill villain attack. He was one of the guys I helped out during the battle – just moved him outta the way," Wally said calmly, as if it was no big deal. Lida, however, looked a bit impressed, and rested her arm on the table as she peered at him.

"Maybe you're not such a doofus like I thought you were," she told him after a pause, and he looked at her in surprise.

"You thought I was a doofus?" he asked, and she could tell he was faking the shock.

"Of course I did," she replied easily, sitting back as their food was brought out. "But it seems your personality has more layers than the shadow plane. Something which I didn't think was possible for any human being," the young woman added with a grin.

Wally peered at her for a moment, as they began to eat, and then asked her something through a mouthful of pasta and pizza. She only stared at him patiently, waiting for him to swallow. He realized that's what she wanted, and quickly obliged.

"I asked, what's the shadow plane?" he repeated.

"It's how I transport, and use my powers," Lida told him quietly. "Apparently, when I was born, my spirit passed briefly through there – there were complications, and I almost didn't make it," she confided to him. "Anyway, I think that's what caused my connection to start. It's connected to every shadow on the planet – and some off-planet, although I don't use those," she amended.

"Time passes differently there, I assume," Wally assumed, and she nodded.

"Of course. Time is almost suspended, to the point a second in our reality is a almost five minutes in the plane," Lida said. "It makes it seem like I can teleport. It takes longer if I need to go a longer distance, but transporting between shadows in the same area or building is incredibly easy."

"And using 'em?"

"I just use my subconscious to manipulate the plane's molecular level, and it appears that I use shadows in reality," she told her. "It's all manipulation and how people perceive my powers, really."

"And how the hell did you figure this out all on your own?" Wally demanded, slightly impressed by the knowing tone her voice assumed when she spoke of her powers.

"I've had plenty of time to learn, mostly by instinct," she said, a bit self-consciously. "And my uncle did quite a bit of research into it as well, though I obviously didn't know what for until it was too late." She added this part slightly defensively, as if her dinner companion would blame her for her uncle's villainy.

"Sounds cool," he agreed, digging once more into his meal. Lida stared at him for a minute before shaking her head, and resuming eating as well.

* * *

The rest of the meal passed peacefully, with the usual small talk between two people who don't know each other that well, almost to Lida's relief. She was still suspicious of Wally's tricky nature, however, and kept suspecting something else.

"How about a walk?" he suggested as they strode from the restaurant, her arm tucked in his elbow. "It's nice out – why go back out into space?"

"Sounds like a plan," she agreed, looking around and eagerly staring at the scenery around her. The sun was just beginning to sink below the horizon, and she was forced to carry her shoes as they neared the cliffs, the rocky sand too hard to walk in heels.

"You doing okay?" Wally asked suddenly, as she tripped over a rock in her path.

"Yeah, just missed that one," she replied with a laugh and shake of her head. "I love this scenery," she continued, looking around and disregarding Wally's face. "It's beautiful – so much more peaceful than home."

"I thought you'd like it," he said proudly, puffing out a little before she poked him again.

"None of that," she scolded lightly, and looked down as they reached the edge of the cliff. "What a drop," she commented, and looked past the rocky fate that met someone unfortunate to slip to see a narrow strip of sand, the waves lapping peacefully at it. "That's pretty," the young woman said, a bit wistfully, and turned to continue walking when Wally suddenly scooped her up into his arms.

"Let's go, then," he suggested with a grin, and before she could ask what the hell he was up to, zipped down the cliff face. Using his speed to keep his balance, as he did with all wall-running he did, he easily moved around the rocks and stopped at the edge of the small beach.

"That was…"

"Fun?" he asked hopefully, and she looked at him with a small amount of surprise on her face.

"_He's really trying to make this a date, not just a joke,"_ Lida realized, and smiled cheerfully at him. "It was," she admitted. "I've gone fast, but just shadow-hopping. Not actually _moving_."

"It's different," Wally agreed, and remained next to her as she peered at the darkening ocean in amazement. He glanced at the young woman next to him, wondering what she was thinking, and was obvious she was caught up in staring at the water.

"I've never seen the ocean," she confessed a moment later, glancing sheepishly his direction. "Always wanted to, though."

"I can do something else," Wally offered, and she peered nervously at him.

"Not breath underwater?"

"No, that's Aquaman," he chuckled, and picked her up again. "Just hang on, you'll like this," he promised, and suddenly sped across the ocean's rippling surface.

* * *

Clinging to Wally, Lida looked around her in delight as they seemingly flew over the water, the spray on her face convincing her that it was really happening. She tightened her grip when he stopped abruptly, and realized they were on dry land.

"Where are we?" she asked, as she slipped to the ground and looked around curiously.

"Spain," he informed her, and she whirled to stare at him.

"What?"

"Spain," he repeated. It took a moment for it to sink in, and then she blinked.

"How're we gonna get back to the jet?" she asked, and he grinned.

"We run back," he replied easily, and slung his arm around her shoulder with a grin. "What say we go find some good clubs and go dancing?" he suggested. "The night is young, and we are superheroes with a jet with which to world-hop in," he told her, and she laughed at how he put it.

"Well, when you put it like that, how I can say no?" she replied with a laugh, and slipped her shoes back on, seeing they were in a grassy area that wasn't so hostile to her footwear. "Lead the way."

I had to have some romance. Don't worry, things won't be that easy or quick. Please review!

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

Summary; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

Here we go, another chapter! I've been depressed for a while, as my harddrive that has EVERYTHING in it has crashed, and most likely irrevocably lost every single file I have written to date. Rather depressing. But, I'm trying to snap out of it by working on some stories. Here ya go!

Please review.

* * *

"I had a lot of fun," Lida told him with a laugh, as they approached the jet as the sky began to hint at the sunrise. Wally had his arm draped over her shoulders easily, and she didn't seem to mind.

"I did too," he admitted. "Who knew you could go from being such a hard-ass to a party girl?"

"No one," she replied mischievously. "I like to surprise people."

"Really?" he asked, and paused dramatically as if thinking something. "So do I," he added, before bending down and kissing her lightly on the lips.

Lida blinked in amazement, and stared at Wally as he straightened, the kiss almost as quick as the blink of an eye. "What're you up to?" she finally managed, and he threw his hands up in a sign of peace.

"Nothing!" he protested, and grinned. "C'mon, we gotta get this back and get some sleep. With our luck, we'll have to go play heroes tomorrow with no sleep," he told her, leading her to the jet as if nothing had happened. Lida only peered at his back, wondering why he had done that.

* * *

Lida woke the next afternoon with a slight headache, and looked out her observation window to be greeted with the vastness of space. "It's so nice to feel insignificant when one first wakes up," she mumbled, but it lacked her usual bite. Sitting up, she stretching lazily and ran a hand through her hair, blinking rapidly to clear her vision.

After being lazy for a few more minutes, she reluctantly got up and headed into the bathroom, treating herself to a steamy shower before drying her hair and changing into her outfit. Slipping the cloak on, she paused and then let the hood hang down her back, stepping out into the hall.

* * *

Looking around, she saw a few people wandering, and headed towards the cafeteria to feed her empty stomach. Grinning back at the members she passed, not wanting to be overly familiar, she smiled widely when she saw Green Arrow and Black Canary sitting at a table.

After getting her food, she headed over to the table, not having seen them since the battle. Taking a seat, she grinned hesitantly, hoping she wasn't interrupting anything.

"Good to see you up and going again!" Arrow said approvingly, patting her on the back for a moment before shoveling a few more spoonfuls of whatever he was eating into his mouth.

"I knew you'd be fine," Canary added, a little more calmly, and peered at the young woman. "How're you feeling?" she asked, and Lida nodded.

"Besides hungry, I'm fine," she assured them. "Is it usual for members to have a mission every day, or what?" she asked, realizing she had no idea how the whole system worked in the League.

"It depends on the member, and who they're teamed up with," Canary told her, as Arrow was otherwise occupied. "Since you were injured, you'll definitely get a few days off. Most rookies go on particular missions to learn new skills, or practice teamwork. Unless it's an emergency, they're not called in for serious missions."

"More like small-time bad-guy stuff," Arrow added suddenly, and Lida looked between them as she sorted it all out.

"I think that makes sense," she finally said, and Canary grinned.

"It'll make sense as you go. Since you're teamed with Flash, you'll be in good hands for missions. I wouldn't be surprised if you're with us once in a while," the woman added for good measure. "We worked well together – our powers compliment each others', I think."

"I wouldn't mind that," Lida agreed, turning her attention to her food for the moment.

"The way you use shadows is impressive," the woman commented, glancing over at the young woman for a moment. "How's your hand-to-hand, though?"

"Lousy," she admitted with a wince. "I never really learned, so I try to keep opponents at a distance. It usually works."

"You really should learn," Canary informed her.

"Canary here is one of the best fighters the League has," Arrow told Lida with a wink. "You should take some lessons from her. You won't be disappointed."

"We can do that now, if you want," Canary suggested. "We don't have a current mission at the moment, and I know you don't. What do you say?"

"I say I could certainly try," Lida agreed with a grin, getting to her feet. "I didn't even know there was a training room in here."

* * *

"No, kick down!" Canary ordered, lunging at the young woman with a ferocity that surprised her opponent. Lida quickly ducked and kicked down as she was told, countering Canary's strike. They separated for a moment, and Canary eyed her.

"Bad, isn't it?" Lida asked apologetically. They both wore their costumes, minus Lida's cape, and she stretched her sore muscles with a sigh.

"Actually, not as bad as you made it seem," the woman informed her thoughtfully. "You just need to react quicker."

"I think using shadows slowed down my physical responses," Lida said. "I manipulate the shadows subconsciously, so…"

"You just need to bring those responses to the surface of your mind," Canary ordered, shifting into another attack stance. "Like you're using shadows, but think of your hands and feet as the shadows instead. Try it."

Lida nodded, and struck out quickly, trying to get the advantage in the fight. Canary spun and landed a hit to her chest, and Lida stumbled back and regained her balance just as Canary pressed the attack. Lida back flipped out of her reach, and narrowed her eyes.

"_My hands and feet are shadows…use them instead,"_ she told herself mentally. Closing her eyes, she allowed her instincts to take over, and Canary was surprised by the leap Lida's abilities seemed to take after a moment.

* * *

"Not bad," Canary told her, when they had finished the combat session. Lida wrapped her cloak around her, and looked back with a sheepish grin.

"Really?"

"Once you started, you got the hang of it quick," the woman assured her, striding towards the door. Unlike Lida, she didn't even seem to be out of breath – or have broken a sweat. "You have a long way to go, but that's at least a defensive start for you."

"I appreciate it," Lida told her, rushing to keep up with the fighter.

"It's not a problem," Canary told her, waving her hand dismissively. "We're all League members, so we should help each other out anyway. Especially when it comes to our strengths and weaknesses."

"That sounds like a good idea," she replied with a nod, and blinked in surprise when Canary flashed her a quick grin.

"You're pretty vicious when you get good. I'd like to see you mad in a fight sometime," she commented, before turning down a hall. "I've got a date, so catch you around, girl."

"See ya!" Lida called after her, waving shortly before heading down another hall, wondering what she should do next. _"Probably get something to drink after that workout,"_ she thought ruefully.

* * *

Lida arrived in the cafeteria a few minutes later, and saw a few people she recognized sitting around. Unfortunately, Beatriz was one of them, and she winced when the young woman got to her feet and strode in her direction.

She hadn't seen her since that first encounter, and Lida definitely didn't want a second. Tired from the exercises, and thirsty, she headed for a drink stand, sticking her head in to find something.

Coming back out with a can in her hand, she turned to walk directly into the other woman.

"Yes?" Lida asked, wiggling around her and taking a seat at a nearby table.

"I heard you went on a date with Flash last night," Beatriz said casually, taking a seat across from Lida and staring at her.

"It wasn't really a date," she replied with a shrug.

"Please," the other woman snorted. "Don't give me that. We all know how much of a flirt Flash is. I guess you don't know he has a date with me tonight?"

"That's his business. I said it wasn't a date," Lida informed her a bit sharply, but her gut twisted. _"What's this?"_

"You got suckered," Beatriz informed her, standing up and almost looking sympathetic for a moment before the hostile look returned to her eyes. "You're a pretty new girl. It's understandable, but you've got to learn your place in the League."

"I'll remember that," Lida said, trying to keep her voice light, as the woman walked away. Finishing her soda quickly, she crushed the can in her hand in anger, and then shook it off. "So I'm stupid. Nothing new," she told herself quietly, as she tossed the can and strode from the cafeteria quickly. "I should have realized it was just a game. Oh well, move on," she ordered herself, refusing to let tears well up in her eyes.

* * *

"What's the matter, little lady?" Vigilante asked her, as she stalked past him later that day in the hall. "Someone as purty as yourself shouldn't be frowning like that," he added, and she glanced up at him, torn between annoyance and relief.

"It's nothing," she said after a minute, and flashed him an insincere smile. "Just trying to find something to do, that's all. This place is big, but boring."

"Don't we all know that," he replied, recognizing her lie but deciding to play along for the moment.

"What're you up to, Vig?" she asked, as he fell into step alongside her.

"Just on my way to a mission," he told her. "Got some baddies makin' a fuss in Metropolis, and it's up to us to stop 'em."

"Good luck," she began, but he interrupted.

"Why dontcha come with us?" he suggested, and she looked at him in surprise.

"What? I thought I wasn't allowed –"

"I ran into Canary. She said you seem raring for a fight," he interrupted her smoothly, peering down at her in curiosity. "So, what's it gonna be, missy? Boredom here, or some action with us?"

"Who's us?" she asked, as she followed him down the hall, already baited.

"Me an' Shining Knight," he told her, glancing over his shoulder with a grin. "Copperhead and Plastique are thinkin' they can go ahead and rob some jewels out from under our noses."

"Sounds fun," Lida finally agreed with a grin.

* * *

"I gotta thank Black Canary when we get back," Shade said in satisfaction, brushing her hands off and looking at the two villains in satisfaction. She had refrained from using her powers, and knocked Copperhead out with her new abilities.

"Darn, girl, that was pretty impressive," Vigilante remarked, rounding up Plastique to ensure she wouldn't try anything else.

"Thanks," she replied. "Black Canary's a damn good teacher."

"We should get these two to the proper authorities," Shining Knight hinted, and they glanced up at him. He raised an eyebrow, and Vigilante grinned.

"Sure thing, pardner," he agreed, folding his arms over his chest and glaring sternly at the two would-be jewel thieves.

* * *

"You weren't supposed to go on any missions for at least another day," J'onn greeted them sternly, his arms crossed as they strode down the ramp of the jet. Flash was next to him, looking slightly put out.

"It was my fault, Manhunter," Vigilante protested quickly, before Lida could say anything. "I thought it'd be good practice. It was just some lowlife rookies, that's all. No harm done."

"There could have been," the Martian said shortly, and glanced at Lida. "You're confined to the watchtower until further notice. She is under Flash's command, not yours, so I would stop overstepping myself, Vigilante," he continued, turning back to the other man. Shining Knight remained silent, frowning slightly but not about to interrupt the founder.

"It wasn't that!" the cowboy argued, taking a step forward. "She was a big help. She needs some training, that's all!"

"That's all," J'onn said, the conversation clearly ended as he strode away. Flash appeared uncomfortable when three pairs of eyes turned to him.

"I didn't do it," he started, but Lida only stalked past him without a word. Shining Knight shook his head and turned the other way, but Vigilante glared at the speedster.

"I don't know what you're up to –"

"Nothing!"

"–but you'd better not be messing with that girl," the man finished, ignoring Flash's protest. "You've got enough girls wandering around here, one less won't hurt."

"What're you implying?" Flash demanded indignantly, but Vigilante only glared at him before striding off, weapons twirling in his fingers. Flash stared after him, and then sped off with a groan.

* * *

Hood laying down her back, Lida sat on the bed staring out the window, legs folded around her. She ignored the knock on her door, and the next one, and when it became an insistent tapping, she closed her eyes to try to meditate.

"What're you doing?" Flash asked, zipping into the room.

"You broke into my room!" she accused him in shock, glaring up at him.

"It's not breaking in if I have the override code," he retorted, and his face fell after a second when he sat down on the floor awkwardly. "I didn't mean to get you in trouble with J'onn," he apologized. "I couldn't find you, and somebody told me you had gone off with Vigilante."

"I'm safer with him than most people I know," she said coolly, and he acknowledged the snap with a nod.

"I just didn't know what kinda mission he'd take you on," he argued. "I asked J'onn to find you – I didn't think it'd be such a big deal. I didn't run into Canary until after, and she told me you were fine for a mission with those two."

"Then why didn't you tell J'onn?" she demanded. He shrugged awkwardly in reply.

"He's a stickler for rules," he told her after a minute. "You were supposed to stay out of action for at least two days. Doesn't matter what condition you're in. It's the rules."

"Stupid rules," she muttered, folding her arms across her chest in aggravation. "How long am I gonna be stuck here, you think?" she asked suddenly, and he grinned at her.

"You're under my command. I'll talk to him," he promised, getting to his feet. "We good?" he asked, sheepishly offering his hand to her as a means of a truce.

"We're good," she agreed with a sigh, shaking his hand firmly. Lida had gotten over her crush quickly, as she was apt to do when determined enough, and accepted that Flash couldn't be anything more than friend.

"Cool. Catch you later," he said, and suddenly disappeared from the room. Lida shook her head in self-reproach, and returned to her meditation.

* * *

"_What the hell is going on?"_ Shade demanded to the silence, as she stared around the shadow plane that had become her home in times of trouble. Striding between the puddles of blackness, she narrowed her eyes at seeing the anomaly.

The shadows, the portals she used to move, were flashing blindingly, and then disappearing from the plane. She reached out and tried to retrieve the latest one, but was unable to contact the plane it was from.

They weren't disappearing at a fast rate – she guessed one every few days in Earth time – but it was at consistent rate, something that disturbed her. The only other times the plane had destabilized was when the gates of Tartarus had become dangerously close to opening, and when her uncle used his own power in the earlier battle to manipulate it briefly.

"_Is Tartarus becoming disputed again?"_ Shade wondered to herself, the sound from her voice blanketed by the darkness almost as soon as she spoke them. She debated on what to do, and pulled shadows from one portal in particular. Shaping it into a sphere, she held it in her hands and stared at her, reading the messages from its depths.

"_Who has the power to block me?"_ she asked herself thoughtfully, releasing her hold on the shadows and beginning her wanderings once more. Shade debated on the nature of the problem, and whether to go to the Justice League about it, but shook her head.

"_Better not. Not until I'm sure what's behind this,"_ she decided. _"Or until other magic users become unstable, like last time,"_ she added grimly. If it reached that point, she knew, she'd more than likely be incapacitated as well, unless she was able to avoid being taken by surprise.

* * *

"Where the hell is she?" Flash wondered. He had overridden the code to her room several hours later, to find it dark and completely empty. "If she took off, J'onn's really gonna be pissed," he complained to no one in particular, and jumped when a figure suddenly emerged from the wall.

"What are you doing in my room again?" Lida asked calmly, as if there was nothing strange about her actions.

"Where were you?" he demanded, and she grinned.

"I didn't take off. I was just in the plane," she told him. "Meditating."

"Well, I talked to J'onn, and you gotta stick with me for two more days as probation," Flash told her, almost apologetically.

"I guess I can survive that long," she agreed, rolling her eyes dramatically before grinning. "You are such a pain in the ass. I hope you realize that."

"Every day," he replied cheerfully, and plopped onto her bed before she could object.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Sitting."

"Why there?"

"It's meant for sitting."

"It's meant for sleeping."

"Same difference."

"Is not."

"Is too!"

"Isn't!"

"Maybe I _can't_ survive," Lida amended, shaking her head. "I take it all back."

"Hey!"

If you can't tell, I love Vigilante. Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

Summary; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

Not much, here's another update like I promised Trickster. Anyone have any story ideas, lemme know in case I suddenly go dry on this one. Fun fact: Cosmos is the city where the DC Teen Titen Risk is from. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

"Dammit, Vig!" Lida complained, slumping back in the chair. "It's not fair!"

"It's not my fault you ain't never played this before," he shot back, the game controller resting on his lap as he leaned back in the chair and stretched. "Maybe you should warm up a bit, darlin'."

"Like hell," she muttered, picking up the device she had thrown and returning to her seat. "Go another round?"

"Game's already thirty-three to one, and that's 'cause I let ya win that one," he informed her wisely. "Sure ya wanna go again?"

"You're fucking evil," she moaned, hanging her head in brief defeat. "When the hell did you find the time to _practice_? I mean, good god…"

"Someone had to teach Golden Boy here how to play these modern games," Vigilante said jokingly, glancing over at Sir Justin, who looked anything but happy with his own score.

"You mean, someone had to leave me utterly defeated without mercy, and mock me without honor after my destruction," the knight retorted haughtily, his expression identical to Lida's. "I thought a warrior such as yourself would show some compassion!"

"Apparently not," the young woman present lamented, shaking her head. "How about it, Sir Justin? Wanna go a round? I don't think we could do any worse."

"I will take you up on that suggestion, milady," he replied. Lida suppressed a smile at hearing the modern phrases coming from Sir Justin, but knew her own accent must be the cause of amusement when she tried to say some words – and came out as very inappropriate language. Which didn't bother her much, except it was rather embarrassing when she was trying to explain the fundamentals of her country to someone.

"If you don't mind me askin', missy, what're you doin' here anyway?" Vigilante asked, as the other two started another match. "I thought you were attached to Flash at the hip until your probation ended."

"It's the last day – it was only two days, Vig," Lida shot back, concentrating on not dying. "And he had a mission to go on. I got to stay home."

"I believe you have killed me."

"Let's go again."

"Speakin' of home, when're you going home again?" the cowboy continued, interjecting when convenient for him.

"Home? Teplice? Not sure," she confessed, and winced when it was her turn to lose. "Dammit."

"Most of us don't actually _live_ in the tower," he told her. "Not that there's anything wrong with it, mind you. But it's nice when you've got a home to go back to."

"It's just an empty building," she shrugged, and whirled around to glare at Sir Justin. "You cheated!"

"I did not!"

"You did too! I saw you!"

"On my honor, I –"

"You're as bad as Vig, I swear," she laughed, throwing her hands up in the air. "I give up! You win!"

"You may win next time, milady," Sir Justin told her, looking rather pleased with himself. Vigilante chuckled and shook his head, getting to his feet. Stretching, he jumped into the air when J'onn appeared on the communicator screen.

"Whatcha need?" he asked, casually pushing his hat back to get a better view of the screen.

"I need you to head to the Amazon. There are reports of illegal logging – I believe it is a company called Tyson Incorporated, named after its founder, Hamil Tyson. He has some connections with artifact smuggling."

"So why the logging?" Lida asked, unable to keep her curiosity quiet.

"I believe he is clearing land in an effort to discover a temple that belonged to an ancient tribe that once lived there," J'onn replied.

"Might as well make a profit, 'stead of just letting it go to waste," Vig said in disgust, crossing his arms. "All right, who's comin' with me?"

"I need Sir Justin to go with Zatanna on another mission," the Martian began, frowning slightly as he skimmed another computer screen. "And it appears almost everyone else is tied up right now."

"Let me take Shade," the man suggested. "It's her last day bein' a probie – and it doesn't sound like this includes any evil wack-jobs. And I need the help."

"All right," J'onn agreed, after a long pause. Lida sighed in relief, and flexed her fingers. "But just get the job done – no need to draw extra attention to us," he warned, before signing off.

"C'mon, darlin', looks like we got ourselves some baddies to round up," Vigilante ordered, heading from the room. Lida grinned and raced after him, after nodding a good-bye to Sir Justin.

* * *

"Lookin' forward to some action?" the cowboy asked, as they entered Earth's atmosphere. He craned his neck to see better, trying to aim straight for their destination.

"Have to admit I am," Lida replied, adjusting her hood to shield her face better from the blinding light of the sun. "Thanks for mentioning me, Vig."

"Hey, I should be thankin' you for comin', missy," he informed her, and she braced herself as the jet shook a bit. "Sorry, still need to practice some with this filly," he admitted, and she stared at him in horror.

"You mean you can't fly this thing?" she demanded, and he shook his head.

"No, no!" he protested. "I just ain't quite got the hang of this thing, that's all. My landin's are decent, ask Shayera."

"I'm afraid to," Lida groaned, clenching the arms of her seat tightly and muttering something in Czech. Vig dutifully ignored it, mumbling something of his own.

* * *

"I hate snakes," Shade growled, tentatively picking her way through the brush in an effort to keep up with her partner. "I mean, I _really_ hate them."

"That'd explain why you went after Copperhead like you did," Vigilante drawled, chuckling at the memory.

"It's not funny!" she insisted. "Aren't they all poisonous here? This is just Manhunter's way to bump me off and make it look like an accident!"

"Now, calm down, darlin'," he said soothingly, backtracking and resting his hand on her shoulder. "Dya want me to carry you or something?"

"No, just point me in the direction we're going," she ordered, crossing her arms stubbornly. "I'm not a kid."

"I know that – and stop whinin' like one," he added, receiving a jab in his ribs. "Ow!"

"Which way?" she repeated calmly. Her gaze following the direction his finger pointed in, she grinned. "See you there," she announced, before disappearing into one of the many shadows present.

"Damn girl," Vigilante sighed, and began his trek towards the logging camp.

* * *

Shade reappeared only a few feet from the loggers, and hastily moved back to wait for Vigilante. Looking around for snakes, she sighed in relief when she didn't see any, and then narrowed her eyes, spotting a strange figure amongst the loggers.

"_Who's that?"_ she wondered, making a face in confusion. She jumped when a hand rested on her shoulder, and turned to see Vigilante grinning behind her. "Very funny," she hissed, but he only shrugged.

"Hey, you left me there, missy," he pointed out. "Who's that fella?" he asked, noticing the same strange man.

"I don't know. You don't recognize him?" she told him, crouching behind a bush to peek between the ferns.

"Not sure…I thought he was still at the Watchtower, but that fight with Darkseid mighta let 'em go free without us noticing…" Vigilante murmured. "Makes sense why Manhunter didn't send Superman instead."

"Who is he?" Shade insisted.

"Metallo – he's got kryptonite embedded in his body," the man explained briefly. "Superman's weakness."

"So, what the hell is he doing here?" she demanded.

"I dunno. He's obsessed with defeating Superman – maybe he's thinkin' there's kryptonite around," he thought out-loud, and Shade frowned.

"How do we beat him?" she asked, and Vigilante grinned.

"The old-fashioned way. Ready to make an entrance, darlin'?"

"Sure am."

"Ladies first!"

With that order, Shade melted into the shadows once more, her target already picked out. Vigilante waited for her to reappear, and nodded approvingly when he saw the crane used for lifting the trunks suddenly begin to swing around.

"What the hell!" a man yelled, as several loggers dove to the ground to avoid the swinging crane and tree.

"Whoo-whee!" Vigilante shouted, running into the confusion with his guns blazing. He paused to see the crane begin to tip, and only resumed his melee when he saw Shade leap to the ground.

"Get away, you freak!" another man growled, his chainsaw aimed for Vigilante's head. The cowboy shot the man's hand, and leapt up to avoid the dropped chainsaw before knocking the logger out.

"I ain't no freak," he said indignantly.

"Says you," Shade said cheerfully, appearing next to him. Several loggers were unconscious, while others were gagged with shadows. "You get the rest – I'll hold off Metallo's escape," she offered.

"How gracious of you, missy," her partner remarked dryly, but quickly got into the swing of things as he went after the remaining loggers, who were doing their best to flee. He incapacitated the rest of the men easily, and rushed over to where Shade had Metallo pinned. It was apparently a struggle, however, as Shade held her bonds only tenuously.

"Little help here, Vig!" she called, and yelped when she was tossed back to the ground.

"I've had enough of the Justice League interfering with my plans," Metallo said calmly, advancing on the two members, a chainsaw mutated to his hand.

"What're you doing here, metal-head?" Vigilante demanded, pulling Shade to her feet.

"I'm sure you're smart enough to have already guessed. I heard rumors of a strange stone worshipped by ancient tribes in this area. I bought this company from the old fool who owned it, and decided to do a little investigating," the villain informed them, revving up the weapon.

"So, you think kryptonite's around," Vigilante guessed, and received a smirk.

"Of course."

"You think you're gonna beat us?" Shade asked with a snort. She cried out when a blast of kryptonite slammed into her chest, sending her flying up in the air and landing in a tree.

"Didn't anyone tell you not to hit girls?" the cowboy demanded, twirling his guns on his fingers. Using his own special bullets – fighting supervillains forced him to use rather unconventional methods – Vigilante blasted Metallo repeatedly, wounding the man.

"Damn you!" he snarled, lunging at the hero with the chainsaw screaming angrily. Vigilante was knocked off his feet suddenly, and he glanced over to see Shade seemingly halfway in a tree, everything below the waist melted into a shadow. Her hands gripped darkness, and he realized she had knocked him off-balance.

"That's not a good idea," she warned Metallo, focusing her powers on him.

"You already proved you're no match for me!" he began to boast, and gasped for breath when she suddenly launched herself at him, landing squarely on top of him.

"_Sure_ I have – it's called bluffing," she informed him, leaping back to her feet as Vigilante removed the core powering the machine. "Fun?" she asked, and he grinned back at her.

"Nice work, darlin'," he informed her. "We make a good team."

"Yeah, you go nuts, and I get to hit things," she agreed with a laugh.

* * *

"You both did a very good job," J'onn admitted, as they strode into the Watchtower's main communications room.

"Thanks, Manhunter," Vigilante replied with a nod, cocking his hat to the Martian. Lida only grinned behind the cowboy's back, not about to push Manhunter's buttons at this point.

"A little more flashy than I would have wished for, but at least there wasn't much collateral damage," he continued dryly, eyeing them with a look they couldn't read. "I may have another mission for you two," the Martian continued, but Lida took a step back.

"I need to go home for a day or two," she objected. Vigilante looked at her in surprise, but she ignored him. "I have a few things to clear up. And I want to find a place in America, which isn't gonna be easy."

"All right, I can spare you for a few days," the Founder agreed with a nod, to her own surprise. She nodded back, and turned – only to walk into Flash.

"You're going home?" he asked, and she nodded.

"Yeah, so?"

"Need a ride?"

"I can manage on my own. I have a communicator – if you can teleport me there, I'll let you know when I'm ready to return," Lida added, glancing back at J'onn. He nodded, and she returned to Flash. "See?"

"Well…"

"I'll get going," she said abruptly, and left the floor, heading to the teleporters. Flash turned to eye Vigilante suspiciously, but the man only shrugged in return.

"I dunno."

* * *

"I can't believe what Vigilante managed to guilt me like this," she grumbled, stomping through the snow to her house. She surveyed the building with distaste, thinking how she could get rid of it. She didn't want to just abandon it and let lowlife squatters move in, but she didn't want it on her hands.

"_I almost wish I had let Richard take it when he wanted to,"_ she thought in discouragement, melting into the shadows instead of merely using the door. Looking around the room, she sneezed as dust wafted from the floor.

Sighing, Lida crossed her arms, partly for heat. Her black coat hung to the floor, and her heavy winter clothing wasn't helping much. Her own adaption to the Czech environment was better – she just needed to get used to it again.

"I don't want to be here long enough to get used to it," she replied to her own train of thought stubbornly, and shook her head. "I'm going insane," she grumbled. "I never used to mind being alone before."

Thinking of what she could do to rid herself of the house, and get enough money to find an apartment or something somewhere in America, Lida shook her head again and sank into another shadow, heading into town.

* * *

"A resort?" she repeated in disbelief, but the real estate agent she had managed to find only nodded. Swearing in Czech, before remembering too late she was among natives once more, she grinned awkwardly and sat back.

"_A lot of land is with that house…"_ she thought, debating the pros and cons. She trusted the agent would handle things tastefully – being beautiful without gaudiness was their tourist attraction, and not something she was worried about.

"Leave most of the land untouched," she finally requested, holding her hand out for papers to sign. "And I get a percentage of profits the property generates."

After speaking in further detail, and agreeing on the terms of sale, Lida signed the papers without a second thought. No sentimental thoughts bound her to the house, and she was glad to get rid of it. Moreover, with the money from the sale – and future profits – she felt assured of a generous bank account.

Her business now finished, she nodded to the agent before leaving the building, happy to have disposed of the property as easily as she thought she would. Humming quietly to herself, Lida strode out into the forest, looking for an empty area to transport herself to America. Which city, she had no idea, but decided it was worth a try.

* * *

"Metropolis. It figures. One of the largest and most often attacked city there is," she muttered, sighing to herself as she stepped out from an alley. "And I bet nothing's cheap here, unless you go to the slums," she added to herself, and shook her head.

A man approached her, beginning to open his jacket, and she held out a hand to stop him. She was already hot from the warmer weather, and was planning to shed some layers once she was alone.

"Ask me if I want a pocket watch, and you lose your hand," she warned him, and he backed off hastily, eyeing her carefully as he retreated.

Taking another look around, Lida rolled her eyes before backing up.

* * *

"This looks a lot better," she said in approval, looking around at the town she had ended up in. It seemed to be a small mountain town, and she later learned its name – Cosmos. Ignoring the strange looks she received, having appeared out of nowhere, she found directions to a real estate agency.

"I'm going to buy a house with foreign money, in a foreign country, and I'm not even planning on being there often," she mused, chuckling at the thought as she boarded a bus to the area she was headed. "Gee, that's not unusual at all." Finding a seat, she allowed herself to relax and take in the scenery of her adopted home. It appeared to be on the quiet side, with a small-town appearance and hopefully mentally.

"You new here, miss?" an elderly woman beside her asked curiously, and Lida turned in surprise, her face quickly relaxing into a smile.

"Yes. I'm hoping to find somewhere to stay as well. I just moved," she explained shortly, and the woman nodded thoughtfully before speaking again.

"There's a townhouse that just opened up – the gentleman who was living there had to move because of his job," the woman told her. "I would look that up, if I were you. It's on Lee Street, if you're interested. I hope you enjoy this town – it's a very nice place."

"If you're any indication, I'm going to love it here," Lida complimented her, looking forward more and more to her new home. Deciding to take the woman's advice, she made a mental note to ask the realtor about Lee Street, and resumed examining the town.

* * *

After a week of living in a hotel, Lida finally entered her new home with a sigh of relief, looking around in approval. She had inspected the townhouse several times, as the realtor went through the annoyingly slow process of finalizing the papers. It was small, fine by her, with a bedroom and bathroom upstairs, and a living room and kitchen on the main floor, separated by a half-wall and glass.

"Nice and empty. Oh no, furniture…" she remembered, groaning. She hated shopping of any kind, and furniture shopping was both painful and boring, in her opinion.

"Nice place," a voice commented, and she whirled around to see Flash behind her.

"What the…what are you doing here?" she demanded, pulling him inside before his costume attracted any more attention. "And how'd you find out where I was?" she added, and he grinned.

"All our communicators have tracking devices in 'em, in case of emergency," he explained, and she only stared at him. "Hey, it's been over a week. I wanted to make sure you were okay," he said defensively, staring back. Lida held the gaze for a moment before shaking her head.

"Fine, you found me. Now what?"

"I overheard that you need furniture. Got money for it?" he asked, and she blinked.

"I'm trying to be frugal, but yeah…why?"

"I know a place. C'mon," he replied, before grabbing her hand and racing out the door with her.


	6. Chapter 6

Summary; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

Thanks for Trickster for beta-ing for me and helping me get a move on! Enjoy!

* * *

"Flash, this isn't working," Lida groaned, shaking her head as the man of super speed tried to shove a couch through the narrow door. "At all."

"I can…get it…" he grunted.

"You're digging a hole in my cement step," she pointed out. His legs were a blur due to his speedy efforts to unload the furniture, and weren't helping one bit.

"But!"

"No buts. Let me," she argued. Flash stepped back reluctantly – she was only glad there weren't any neighbors out at the moment to witness the Flash unloading furniture – and Lida took the reins. Literally.

Grasping the shadow of the couch, she maneuvered it into the room easily, and set it down where she wanted it. She repeated the process with the rest of it – kitchen table, chairs, living room chairs, entertainment center with television. Flash's jaw dropped as the furniture went floating by, and Lida only grinned at his expression. Getting the bedroom items up were a little harder, but she managed with the help of window.

* * *

"That was easy," Flash commented, lounging in a chair as Lida nitpicked around her house. He watched her calmly, and rolled his eyes. "C'mon, take a load off."

"I can't help it," she protested, but sat down nonetheless. Crossing her arms, she brushed her hair back with her fingers – it was the most casual she had dressed in front of anyone, in sneakers, ill-fitting jeans, and an oversized T-shirt suited for her business.

Cleaning.

"It's all new!" he insisted, as she resumed her self-appointed task seconds later, but she only ignored him. "Hey, you're wearing me out," he informed her, speeding to her side and holding her arms firmly above her head. "Take a breather."

"Let go," she ordered, and pushed him back a second later with his own shadow when he didn't comply. "Thank you," she said calmly, brushing herself off.

"No need to be so cranky," Flash grumbled, but she only rolled her eyes.

"I'm not. I guess I'm tired," she admitted, and surprised herself with a yawn. "I have to go job-hunting tomorrow, since I don't plan on living off real estate profits the rest of my life. Now, get out and let me get some sleep."

"What about dinner?" he protested, as she opened the door expectantly.

"Feed yourself."

"I'm a horrible cook!"

"Go out somewhere."

"But –"

"Flash!"

"Going!"

With that, a red streak raced from her townhouse, and the door slammed shut in his wake. Lida sighed, and collapsed onto the couch.

"What a day…" she sighed.

* * *

Lida hadn't heard from Flash, or anyone else from the League, in a week, and was relieved for the break. She assumed they were too busy with missions, and privately wished them luck. She didn't think Vigilante even knew who she was in real life, despite knowing her name – unless Flash told him, when she thought about it.

Finding a job as a pharmacist in a local drug store – having a doctor's degree was another thing she hid about herself – she used her time to settle into a comfortable routine. The profits from her real estate deal at home, combined with the paycheck she brought home, assured her of a comfortable life as long as she didn't go insane.

Lounging around the house on her day off, Lida was channel-hopping after her lunch when a knock came at her door. Looking up over her feet to the window, she saw the mailman leaving, and frowned.

"Mail already came…did he forget something again?" she grumbled, muting the television and getting to her socked feet. Ambling to the door, she opened to see a cardboard box on her step, with a note attached.

Bringing it in, she rolled her eyes as she shut the door with her foot. "How cliché," she commented, placing it on the table. Tearing the note off, she peered at it – the handwriting was unfamiliar.

"_Lida, hope this helps you settle in."_

"That's it?" she asked in disbelief, and shook her head. Glancing back at the box, she jumped into the air when it suddenly shook. "What the hell?" she gasped. Using a shadow, she cut the package opened gingerly, and peered inside.

She received a mew.

"What?" she asked blankly. A kitten was staring up at her with huge yellow eyes, a white mask on its face. "Where'd you come from?" Lida murmured, picking it up carefully. It looked about a month old, and a quick check assured her it was a boy. The rest of the kitten was a dark chocolate color, with a white sock marking on the right back paw.

She noticed it already had a collar, a silver-tone one, and something was attached. A little silver keychain, that read: _Greg Saunders, the Prairie Troubadour_.

"Who the hell is that?" she asked, having never been one for country music. She glanced at the kitten, and sighed. "If you're a prank, you're a cute one," she admitted. Making a decision, she grinned. "Welcome home, Saunders."

* * *

"What the hell is this?" Canary demanded, as the kitten climbed up her boots three days later. Lida had returned to the Tower as Shade for a mission, and had brought Saunders along with her.

"A cat," the other woman replied. "Why?"

"What's it doing here?" Arrow asked in confusion, picking it off of his girlfriend. "And she's not a cat person," he added unnecessarily.

"I didn't know anyone who could take of him while I was gone," Lida admitted in embarrassment. "I was sorta hoping someone here would…"

"Cat-sit?"

"Yeah."

"Hm…maybe Question can do it," Huntress mused, inserting herself into the conversation as she strode up to them.

"What are you doing here?" Arrow demanded, and she grinned.

"Invited for a mission with you two. Here, I'll get the cat to Q – he needs something to do other than those ridiculous theories. Girl Scouts and crop circles again," she explained, taking the cat from Arrow. Lida looked a bit nervous, but Huntress winked at her. "What's his name?"

"Saunders."

"Saunders?" she repeated.

"Yeah," Lida nodded, and briefly explained how the cat arrived at her house. Arrow grinned, and Canary elbowed him.

"Sounds like you've got a secret admirer," Huntress joked, before leaving once more, Saunders in hand.

"Is she…"

"Don't worry, she wouldn't kill the cat," Arrow assured her. "And Q's just going to forget about him until he's taken away. So, you here for a mission?"

"Yeah," Lida said with a nod. "I'm assuming you three are apparently going somewhere?"

"Yeah, out in the South Pole," Canary grumbled, her arms crossed over her chest. Lida winced in sympathy.

"Sucks," Lida offered, but Canary only grunted.

"She always gets cranky before a mission," Arrow said, winking at Lida conspiratorally. "Don't worry, she'll get over herself. So, who're you with?"

"I have no idea." She shrugged, and looked around. "Manhunter ordered me here an hour ago. He gave me time to leave my job and lock my house up before teleporting me here," she added wryly.

"Sounds fun. So, finally settled in?" Arrow asked, and she nodded.

"Didn't take long. Got a job, house, etcetera. All that fun stuff, along with bills," she told him. "I'm sure you know the drill."

"All the fun stuff of being a member of the League, and a person," he agreed. She laughed, and grinned when Vigilante sauntered over to them.

"And what're you doing here, missy?" he asked curiously, hands crossed over his chest as he stood next to her. "I thought you were busy in real life."

"I was. I am. Manhunter called," she informed him with a grin. "What about you? I'm thinking you just live here, Vig."

"Hardly," he snorted. "They couldn't make me full time if they gave me a sack full of mules. Nope, not even the Founders are full time, except maybe Manhunter."

"You sure?" she teased, poking him. He only looked at the other two for help, but Arrow shook his head.

"We better go find Huntress and get going. Catch up with you two later!" he called, waving as he and Canary turned to go. Lida could have sworn she heard him humming some kind of theme song as he left, but decided she was hearing things.

"So, you never answered my question," she prodded. "What're you doing here?"

"Just got back from rounding up some baddies," he told her with a shrug. "The usual. Reporting back with Sir Justin."

"Fun-fun. Hey, you're a cowboy – ever heard of the Prairie Troubadour?" she asked innocently, and he blinked before chuckling.

"Sure. He's a country singer. Darn good one, if I say so myself. Why?"

"Because I got a package from him," she said dryly, crossing her arms. "Signed by him, Greg Saunders."

"Really. Well, that's mighty interestin', girlie. What was it?" he asked, pushing the brim of his hat up a bit to observe her.

"Saunders," Lida replied with a straight face, and missed the look that crossed Vig's – a cross between laughter and horror. "It seemed appropriate," she added with a shrug. "I just want to know why the hell I got a cat from him," she continued with a frown, and it was his turn to shrug.

"Dunno. I gotta get going, and I'm thinking you do too. How 'bout I give you a CD of mine after you get back, give you a chance to listen to him," Vig suggested nonchalantly, and Lida nodded.

"Sure, sounds like a good idea. I'll give you a call on the comm when I get back," she agreed. "Huntress gave Saunders to Question to watch, if you want to go see him," Lida said over her shoulder, swinging her hood over her eyes loosely. The cowboy chuckled again in amusement, and rolled his eyes.

* * *

"You're a cute little rascal, ain't ya?" Vig asked, crouched on the floor to pet the kitten, who recognized him quickly. "Yeah, yeah, don't you be givin' me away to Lida," he warned the kitten, who rubbed against his knee.

"Do you know, I suspect that Cherry Garcia flavor is actually named for an Italian who experimented with olives," Q said absently, and Vig spared him a sigh before getting to his feet.

"No, there's no need to be telling her I was here," he started, but Q's blank face only turned to stare at him.

"Why would I care? It's another conspiracy, right? I'll get to the bottom of it eventually, never worry," he assured the man, who grimaced.

"That's not really what I mean, but sure, pardner," he agreed amiably, shrugging to himself.

* * *

"How'd the mission go, missy?" Vigilante asked, meeting Lida in one of the break rooms in the station. She stretched, and grinned in response.

"Fine. Got to help out Aquaman – he's kind of cranky, but eh," she said with a shrug, and sat down in obvious relief. "Kind of tiring, though," she added, and the cowboy's eyes narrowed.

"I thought movin' them shadows was easy as pie for you," he commented, and she quickly retracted her thoughtless statement.

"I mean, it was just harder to catch them in water," Lida amended quickly. In truth, moving to shadow portals was increasingly difficult, the fear of being trapped in a disappering one very real to her. "So, you got my CD?" she asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"Sure do. Here you go," he replied with a nod, reaching across the table to hand the disc to her. "Be sure to let me know whatcha think – he's my favorite singer," Vig added with a wink, and jumped into the air when someone snorted in amusement behind him.

"I'll bet, cowboy," Huntress remarked dryly, carrying a box. "Here's your cat – Q was strangely reluctant to part with it, but I convinced him it was for the best," she added with a quick smile, handing the box to Lida.

"Isn't he adorable?" the young woman asked Vig eagerly, lifting the happy creature up towards him for him to see.

"Downright cute," he agreed, ignoring Huntress' knowing smirk. _"Figure Q would tell her. Damn woman better keep quiet!"_

"Now to just figure out how he knew about me," Lida continued, replacing the cat back with a frown.

"Looks like he's going to be big."

"Huh?" she asked, looking at Vig in confusion.

"Saunders. The paws are big – he's gotta grow into 'em," he explained, and she mouthed her understanding.

"Oh," she replied, shaking her head in amusement. "A big ol' tomcat to follow me around the house. What an idea. He's cute, though."

"Hey, how 'bout I fly you back to your house?" Vig offered, getting to his feet. Lida looked up in surprise, and raised an eyebrow.

"That's not conspicuous at all," she remarked, but stood up with the CD in Saunder's box, and the box tucked under her arm. "Sure, why not," she agreed, shrugging. "C'mon, Vig. I need to get him home to feed him."

"I think Q fed him Cherry Garcia!" Huntress yelled after them, eliciting a groan from Lida.

* * *

"Nice place, missy," Vigilante commented, following her into her home and looking around unabashed. She rolled her eyes patiently, having forced him to land outside of town and walk instead, and released one hyper kitten on the floor. Free at last, Saunders attacked his currently-unknown namesake's leg with excitement, crawling up his leg with tail flailing wildly.

"He seems to like you," she managed through her giggles, as her driver stared at her helplessly.

"Help!" he pleaded, not wanting to shake the kitten off, and knowing he sure as heck couldn't _shoot_ it off. "He's got _claws_!"

"They tend to have those," Lida agreed, not trying to hide her amusement at Vig's predicament, and instead sank into a shadow, leaving him alone.

"Not fair!" he insisted loudly, finally ripping the cat off his leg and holding him an arm's length away. "No more," he said sternly, and only got swatted as a result. Putting Saunders on the couch, Vig strolled into the kitchen and began to dig through the refrigerator, smacking his head on a shelf when Lida's voice was suddenly behind him.

"Eating all my food now? You're as bad as Flash," she remarked, having changed into sneakers, jeans, and a navy sweatshirt, all of which fit her better than her moving clothes.

"Ain't!" he retorted indignantly, turning around with a sub sandwich in his hand, a soda in the other. "I'm hungry," he protested, taking a large bite out of his sandwich defensively, as if to protect it from her clutches.

"I gathered," she remarked dryly, picking a menu up from the counter. "I was going to get pizza. Up for it?"

"Can't go wrong there," he agreed cheerfully, finishing the sub with unsurprising ease. "I got a few days off. How 'bout a sleepo-_augh_!"

"Not funny," Lida said absently, not even looking up as the man was dropped through a shadow on the floor, coming up though the lawn, and stumbled through the front door as a finale.

"Darn, missy, you're vicious," he protested weakly – and far too late anyway. Slumping on the couch, he caught his breath before flicking on the television, ignoring Saunders as he climbed onto his head and tried to eat Vig's ears.


	7. Chapter 7

Summary; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

I apologize for such a long wait. I had a major case of writer's block on everything and then a lot of stuff going on in my private life. But I had inspiration and cranked this chapter out for you guys who've read and reviewed and let me know how much you wanted another update. So here you go! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

"Lida and Vigilante sure have been hanging out together a lot lately," Booster Gold noticed, a remark at which Flash only grumbled at. The two sat at a cafeteria table, picking at their lunch while they rested from a recent mission.

His friend eyed the fastest man on earth for a moment before reflecting on the fact that he could be awfully slow a lot of the time.

"I even heard he's over her house most times Manhunter contacts him," he continued, enjoying the look on Flash's face. "And that cat she's in love with? Huntress started a rumor that he was behind that too."

"So what?" Flash demanded in irritation. "It's none of my business if Vig wants to manipulate her damn time! She's just another member and that's that." He folded his arms across his chest stubbornly, jumping high into the air when he heard a snicker behind him.

"How many times have I told you not to talk about me behind my back, Booster?" Lida asked calmly, taking Flash's vacant seat. It had been almost a month since she had received her cat and had to admit that between Vig's visits, work, and missions she hadn't had much time to socialize at the Tower.

"A few?" he guessed, looking over as Flash crawled into the chair next to him with a gasp. "So, what could possibly make us worthy of your presence?" he joked, grinning at her sigh.

"Seeing if anyone wanted to hit a movie. Vig is busy, and –"

"You need a replacement?" Flash interrupted her grumpily, and she looked at him in surprise.

"After that escapade with Beatriz, you were hardly my first choice," she informed him dryly, having heard about a grandiose fight between the two after Flash had forgotten about a date. "Canary and Arrow are both on missions. So, what's it going to be?"

"I'm busy," Booster said quickly, getting to his feet with a grin. "I probably have another mission to take care of, so I'll be seeing you later," he added, backing away as if afraid of the woman. She stared after him in amusement before turning her attention back to Flash.

"Well?"

"I'm busy too," he replied coolly, trying to regain some of his dignity. To his surprise and disappointment, she only shrugged.

"Okay. I'll find someone else to - crap," she griped, as her transmitter started to flash. "Figures," she muttered, getting to her feet to answer Manhunter's summons. "Catch you later," she called over her shoulder, waving absently before disappearing into a nearby shadow.

"Damn, I expected her to ask again," Flash sighed, obviously annoyed at how that scene had developed. A few nearby members snickered at his predicament - the towers were a great place to hear all the latest gossip.

* * *

"So, I'm going on another mission already?" Lida asked in surprise, having thought the Founder would punish her by keeping her off any missions for a while. He nodded, however, looking grim. He always looked grim, though, so that wasn't anything to go on.

"You'll be going with Batman and Wonder Woman," he informed her. Her jaw dropped open in surprise.

"Are you kidding me?" she interrupted, her voice high. "What do they need me for?"

"Your powers will be useful, if you want to listen to the actual mission," Manhunter said stiffly. She snapped her jaw shut and made a point of looking attentive. "An automated AI went rogue in a weapons-manufacturing plant in southern Costa Rica. I need you to go and disable it without damaging all the equipment there."

"And this is so dangerous…why?"

"Because this factory provides the majority of Latin America's weapons - all countries," Batman informed her, appearing from a shadowed corner and causing her to jump. "If this AI gets too out-of-control, it could quite possibly disintegrate the entire continent."

"Oh. Well, that makes sense," she managed, after taking a moment to absorb this information. "Wait, am I going to be bait or something?" she asked suspiciously.

"Not in the least. As J'onn told you, your powers of manipulating and traveling through shadows is going to be useful for this mission," Wonder Woman informed her, having been standing nearby the entire briefing.

"The AI is only defending the factory with weapons and automated machines, but it may escalate at any time," Manhunter told her. "If you can get inside and disable anything at all before Batman and Wonder Woman arrive, it will prove quite effective."

"Automated machines…you mean robots?" Lida asked in disbelief. "What is this, a bad sci-fi plot?" she demanded. It was obvious she was going, however, so she quickly backed down with a sigh. "All right, all right, I'm ready," she grumbled.

"Good," Batman said curtly, his tone suggesting she was coming whether she was ready or not.

* * *

"It's _huge_," Shade groaned, surveying the factory from the jet. It was composed of two large buildings resembling warehouses, connected by a skywalk. "I'm not going to know where to pop in there, it's all going to look the same," she informed them, lowering herself back to her seat.

"Then just destroy whatever's there when you get inside," Wonder Woman ordered. "We'll track your location and join you as soon as we can," she added, making it clear the younger League member had no choice in the matter.

"It could be suicide," she grumbled, but opened up a shaky portal at the back of the plane. Sending a last glare at the back of their heads, Shade dropped through to the Shadow Plane. To her dismay, the plane had only grown more unstable as time passed, making it even more difficult for her to find a portal to the warehouse.

Portals nearest her were locations nearest to her physical location, she knew that, but there were too many for such a desolate area. Frowning, she decided to just pick one and hope she didn't come across the rogue AI itself.

"Might as well," she muttered, swooping into the closest one.

* * *

"Took you long enough," Shade remarked, as the two Founders strode down the hall towards her almost thirty minutes later. "I had enough trouble getting out of the portal, with all these damn things shooting at me as soon as my head showed up," she complained, kicking one of the disabled turrets.

"You survived," Batman remarked shortly and she glared at him before catching his eye and laughing nervously. "If you're done whining, we should go find the AI," he began, but Shade shook her head.

"No can do. I scanned a few of the robots and I don't think AI is in this building. We have to use the skywalk and we'll be sitting ducks going across," she argued, folding her arms across her chest. "And I've had enough of getting shot at for the moment."

"Are you a League member or not?" Wonder Woman demanded, and Shade glared at her.

"Yes! But I'm _not_ some little pawn because I'm the new guy!" she informed them. "I'm not going in again without a plan. I don't feel like getting my head blown off," she grumbled. She was wilting under the combined glares of the two, but the idea of staying alive was enough to bolster her spirits.

After a long moment, Batman sighed. "All right, we'll do it Shade's way. Diana, you think you can get across the skywalk and distract them?" he asked, to Shade's surprise.

"It's narrow enough that I can deflect any shots," she agreed with a curt nod.

"All right, do that. Shade and I will go around the back way."

"There isn't a back way," Shade objected, but hesitated when Batman eyed her.

"Then we'll make one."

* * *

Several terrifying minutes later, Shade decided she absolutely hated machines more than she already did and promised herself she'd never use a toaster again. She left blasting a hole through the brick up to Batman, having enough trouble holding off the attacking machines.

"Come on!" he ordered, grabbing the back of her cloak and dragging her through the hole without warning. Gagging at the pull, she winced when he threw her to the floor and covered them both his cloak - seconds later, another explosion rocked the building as rubble filled the hold behind them.

"Cool," she managed, getting to her feet a bit shakily.

"Just pay attention," he said shortly, heading down a nearby hall. She muttered something under her breath before running after him, creating a shadow barrier to prevent anything from coming up behind them. They ran into more machines shortly, a few well-placed batarangs taking them out easily.

"The AI's down there," Diana said, meeting up with them at a crossways. "The signal's transmitting from there," she added, referring to the tracker J'onn had given them to help find the AI.

"All right. Shade, you're backup. Keep them off our back," Batman ordered, he and Wonder Woman heading down the hall towards the AI.

"Keep _what_ off your back?" she wondered, looking around blankly. All the machines in both buildings had been destroyed - they had been thorough about that - and she couldn't hear anything. For a moment, at least. A low rumble reached her ears and she groaned.

Preparing herself, backing up against a wall, Shade gasped when a miniature tank crashed through the barrier, followed by two others. _"Three stupid over-sized toasters,"_ she sighed to herself, thick black whips stretching out to the first tank and ripping it in half.

"That wasn't so ha-shit!" she yelped when one of the flanking machines fired what appeared to be a plasma bolt her way. Dropping into the Shadow Plane instantly to avoid the blast, she fell backwards as the entire plane shook from the dimensional impact.

"Shit," she growled, preparing to reenter and dispose of the other two tanks. Her eyes widened when the portal blocked her exit - it was as if glass had been placed in the opening. Trying another, she found that inaccessible as well. Several frenzied seconds found her panting from the effort of blasting through more portals, with no success.

"Don't tell me…is it Tartarus again?" she wondered, wishing she had told someone about the plane's shakiness earlier. If she got stuck in the Shadow Plane, she might disappear from the normal universe entirely. _"Batman's going to pissed,"_ she thought, realizing she couldn't defend the two Founders.

* * *

"We barely made it out with our skins intact!" Batman shouted at J'onn, meeting with the Founders on the matter of Shade's supposed retreat. "She left us completely undefended!"

"I can't see Lida abandoning a mission," Flash objected. "Did something happen?"

"Maybe she got blown up?" Hawkgirl suggested calmly, earning a dirty look from the fastest man on earth. "What? It was just an idea," she protested, seeing the looks the other Founders were giving her as well.

"Maybe something happened with her powers," J'onn was forced to admit. "Zantanna reported unstable activity from the magical planes recently."

"It's not Tartarus," Diana said quickly. "My sisters have that secure."

"Then what is it? Wait, are you saying she's trapped in the Shadow Plane?" Flash asked in disbelief.

"Zantanna said it was a distinct possibility," J'onn admitted, having spoken to the magician earlier. "And if that's the case, there's nothing we can do until the plane is stabilized."

"We can't just leave her there!"

"Are you suggesting we try to get in there ourselves?" Batman demanded. "No one here can access that plane. Shade was the only one with that power, unfortunately. If she had said something sooner, maybe this wouldn't have happened."

"I have an idea," Flash said suddenly, bolting from the room before the others could demand an explanation.

"If he wants to go get stuck in another dimension again, let him," Hawkgirl remarked. "It's his own skin. Let's get Zantanna and the others to see if we can fix this before half the League collapses again."

* * *

"And where do ya think you're going?" Vig demanded, seeing Flash zip by him in the hallway. The speedy man hesitated before zooming back to face the cowboy and give him a shortened explanation. "And you're doing _what_?" Vig asked incredulously.

"Going to see Shade - the evil one," Flash amended quickly. "If anyone has a chance of accessing that plane, he and that staff of his does."

"You do realize he's evil and isn't likely to help?" the cowboy pointed, keeping pace with Flash's quick strides down the hall. "I mean, he tried to get rid of her before!"

"I plan on making him agree," he replied grimly.

"Sounds like fun. Count me in," Vig agreed, his tone making it clear argument was pointless. Flash began to say something, then sighed.

"All right, meet me at the jet," he ordered, before speeding up and zipping down the hallway in seconds.

* * *

"This sucks," Lida grumbled, sitting down after hours of trying to break free. She was settled for _any_ portal at this point, as they had begun to disappear at an alarming rate since her entrapment. "I doubt that stupid AI had anything to do with this…was it a trick? But they wouldn't know I would be there, so it was distraction at best," she reasoned, unable to see how she could have been the target.

She could at least see through the portals, receiving some news of what was going on wherever they led. It didn't seem like any major catastrophes had struck, so she hoped it was a localized event.

"Half the League is going to be out of commission if this has anything to do with magic," she realized with another groan, head in her hands. "I'm _hungry_," she complained to no one in particular. Although her bodily functions slowed down as well in the plane, she guessed at least a day had passed for hunger pains to strike.

* * *

Shade snickered at the two League members, a reinforced plastic wall between the villain and visitors. The two men exchanged a glance as the laughter continued before Vig punched the wall hard enough to shake it.

"All right, all right. You want me to _help_ you get my niece back?" he asked in disbelief, shaking his head. "Gentlemen, why on earth should I? I have no reason to."

"I'm sure we could negotiate something," Vig drawled, easing himself back into his chair. "Depending on how helpful you can be, of course."

"Of course," Shade repeated snidely, peering at them curiously. "What could you offer me?"

"Not freedom. Maybe some extra parole benefits?" Flash suggested with a grin. "Maybe some better accommodations?" he continued. The villain sat back in his own seat thoughtfully and stared off into space for a few moments.

"What would I have to do?" he asked finally.

"Get into the plane and pull her out," Flash informed him sternly. "No funny business. And if you could figure out whether this is because of Tartarus again, that'd be great."

"Not Tartarus," Shade said firmly. The two men exchanged a surprised glance and he sighed. "If it was Tartarus, there would be many more magicians in distress than my _dear_ niece," he explained patiently. "Haven't you learned anything at all? It's more likely the plane itself has become unstable."

"Why would that happen?" Vig demanded.

Shade shrugged. "For a number of reasons. Lida has used too much of her power and it's collapsing. Or there is another outside force subjugating the plane itself. Of course, there are only a few people who could do that," he added.

"Who?" Flash pressed, but the man only shrugged.

"I honestly have no idea. A powerful magician, of course. Why someone would target _her_, I have no idea. But I think I may be able to help you gentlemen, for a price."

"Of course. We'll talk _after_ you get her out," Flash said firmly.

"I can't do that in this cell, or without my staff. I need to have some more room than this," Shade informed them, gesturing around his cell in disgust. The two heroes exchanged glances before getting to their feet.

"Wait here. We'll talk," Flash ordered.

* * *

"It's not Tartarus," Zantanna said firmly, she and several other magic-wielding heroes having experimented for several hours to see if anything would happen. "None of us are experiencing backlash of any kind," she continued.

"More of us would have become incapacitated if it was related to Tartarus," Doctor Fate added, shaking his head. Blue Devil and Red Omega, as well as others, nodded in agreement.

"That figures. It can't be something simple," Wonder Woman groaned, turning to the other Founders. "If it's not Tartarus, is it possible Shade was specifically targeted?" she suggested.

"It's possible, but unlikely," J'onn said thoughtfully. "It could be that someone was trying to manipulate the plane and she was merely caught in it at the wrong time." The other Founders considered this possibility for a few seconds before one of the doors slid open.

"We have a solution!" Flash announced, dragging a chained Shade in behind him, Vigilante closely following with frown hidden underneath his hat. Shayera's eyes widened in disbelief and Batman actually opened his mouth to say something before closing it again.

"What is going on?" John finally asked, eyes flickering between the three men as if deciding who to hit first. Flash grinned widely, ignoring the glares of the other Founders. The magic-using superheroes had wisely retreated from the room, deciding curiosity would indeed kill the metaphorical cat if they stayed.

"He's going to pull Lida out of the plane," he told them bluntly. "He thinks he can open it long enough for her to jump back out. And then we go find out who did it and take 'em down," he added, as if this was par for the course. Met with only silence, he decided to continue. "I said we'd discuss terms for his help after he actually did it," he added brightly.

"At least you did something right," Shayera remarked dryly.

"Do you know how dangerous this is?" J'onn demanded. "Letting him use his powers?"

"In the middle of a watchtower, guarded by practically the whole League? I'd say it'd be suicide for him," Vig added solemnly, eyeing the other members. "If anyone can help figure out what happened, it'd be Lida herself. And with her locked away we're not gonna get anywhere, are we?" he pointed out.

"He has a point," Batman said after a long pause.

"Fine. Take him to the bridge and get the other magic-using members to meet us there," J'onn ordered Flash, sighing heavily. "And we'll see if he can do anything."

"No funny stuff, mister," Vig added warningly, grabbing Shade's arm and giving him a look that would have dazed stronger men. The villain only eyeballed him back disdainfully before following his guards out as if he had given them permission to lead.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Wonder Woman asked skeptically.

"Flash has a point. Shade would be the only other one with access to the plane that's remotely stable, compared to Zantanna and the others," Batman remarked. "We just have to keep an eye on him."

"I'll take him out if he tries anything funny," Shayera volunteered, but J'onn shook his head.

"We need to get back to normal League business. That means you all have missions to go on. I'll handle this with Flash and Vigilante," he told them firmly. It was useless to argue with that tone, and so the Founders dispersed in tense silence.


End file.
